The Night of the Trek Among The Stars
by Andamogirl
Summary: Colonel Vautrain is back and wants his revenge. Using his power, he sends James West and Artemus Gordon into the future, on a distant planet, in another galaxy. They will meet Captain Kirk, Cdr. Spock and Dr. McCoy of the Starship Enterprise. Adventures ensue.
1. Teaser

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

Author's notes : WWW season 3 / Star Trek TOS season 1.

Reference to "The Night of the Flying Pie Plate", to "The Night of the Underground Terror", to "The Night of the Lord of Limbo" and to "The Night of the Firebrand."

Reference to my stories "The Night of the Ice Cold Death" & "The Night of the Green Woman From Outer Space" (for the plot, I inserted the last one inside this story). But you can read it as a stand-alone on FFNet.

Reference to the ST/TOS Episodes: "Space Seed", "Tomorrow is Yesterday" & "The City on the Edge of Forever".

Reference to Star Trek V The Final Frontier camping scene.

 _Richmond_ _: First of all, you and Jim disobey my orders. Take it upon yourselves to break in and smuggle Colonel Mosely out of his own stronghold, right under the noses of his own guards.  
_ _Artie_ _: Thank you, sir.  
_ _Richmond_ _: I have to give you points for doing a first-rate job._

The Night of the Underground Terror.

 _Capt. Kirk_ : [ _as McCoy wipes Kirk's split lip with bourbon_ ] Ouch!  
 _McCoy_ : What's the matter?  
 _Capt. Kirk_ : What do you call that stuff? Fire?  
 _McCoy_ : [ _reading the label_ ] Taos Lightning, straight bourbon. Try some. In small amounts, it was considered medicinal.  
 _Capt. Kirk_ : Well, label it "For external use only".

Star Trek: "The Spectre of the gun."

 _Captain John Christopher_ _: I never have believed in little green men._

 _Mr. Spock_ _: Neither have I._

Star Trek: "Tomorrow is Yesterday"

Crossover between the Wild Wild West and Star Trek the original series. Time travel.

Warning: minor violence and non-consensual body modification. Forced kissing & drug use (mind control). A few disturbing images (aliens are very bad people!). Skinny-dipping.

Many thanks to my beta reader Tripidydoodah.

For Tripidydoodah as a gift to thank her for her wonderful job. You're the best.

WWW

 **TEASER**

 _On the beach,_

 _Somewhere near San Francisco_

Lost in the contemplation of the dancing flames, his mind blank, oblivious to the world around him, Artemus Gordon didn't react when James West sat down on the cooling sand beside him.

Artie noticed his best friend's presence when he felt a hand press his shoulder. "Hey J'm. How did y' find me?" he asked, still watching the fire, his voice strained and hoarse with fatigue.

Throwing a piece of wood on the fire, Jim said, "When you are not well in your head and in your heart you come to relax by the water; a river, a lake... a beach along the ocean, and we are near San Francisco. It was only a matter of time before I found you sitting here on the beach."

Holding a bottle of whiskey, nearly empty, Artie took a huge gulp, finishing it. "Good thinkin'," he said." He threw it beside the other one, empty too, lying on the sand. "M' was'ed."

Jim pulled out a cigarillo from the inside pocket of his jacket, "After only two bottles of whiskey? I'm surprised. I thought you had built up a tolerance to liquor to the point where you can drink any heavy drinker under the table…," he said, then he placed the small cigar between his lips.

Opening a third bottle of the amber liquor, Artie nodded. "I'd like to get even drunker – _alone_. Go back to the train. I want to be alone," he slurred.

Fishing a burning twig out of the fire, Jim lit his cigarillo, the tip glowing red as he did so. He puffed on it twice and said, "No. I'm staying. We're partners, for better or for worse."

Artie smiled weakly. "It's sounds like we're married…but not quite. We do everything together, yes, everything but lovemaking."

Amused, Jim chuckled, "Sorry buddy, you're not my type." He took a drag and serious again, he added, "Married couples hide nothing from each other… so I'd like to know what's bugging you, Artie," as the smoke flowed past his lips. "Tell me what's wrong Artie, you're out here drinking alone…"

But Artie didn't say a word. He was absent, his look hollow, empty, immersed in his thoughts, his gaze lost on the horizon where the sun was setting.

He swallowed hard and finally whispered, "Nothing that concerns you, and I'm not drinking alone, you're here Jim."

Following Artie's gaze, Jim said, "Anything related to you concerns me. You're my partner, my best friend and my companion. You're like a brother to me, I care about you, a lot and you know that." He paused, and then asked again, "Tell me what's going on." He looked at Artie, straight into his bleary chocolate eyes, hoping that Artie would open up to him, but he didn't. To force him to do so, he added, "You don't want to talk, okay. I'm sure that I can guess what's bugging you."

Looking at Jim with a fierce look, Artemus growled. "Forget it."

But Jim didn't, driven by his curiosity and wanting to help and comfort Artie. "You started to be grumpy, reserved, saying little, drinking a lot of whiskey and not sleeping… after our last assignment, after Colonel Richmond left, three days ago. Is it related to that prisoner of war camp…?" He saw Artie's shoulders hunch and his head drop on his chest. The connection was immediate: "You were taken prisoner during the war and locked up in a prisoner of war camp… and being in Susquehanna has revived very bad memories… Did I guess right?" Seeing the other man close his eyes in pain for a few seconds, he knew he was correct. "I didn't know that… You never told me, Artie."

Closing his haunted eyes, Artie shook his head. "It's a story I prefer not to talk about. It hurts. I had not thought about it for years, but being in that prisoner camp… triggered some horrible memories. I thought I had buried them somewhere in a recesses of my mind... but everything came back to the surface and replayed in my mind in excruciating detail, the images, the sounds, the smells, I should say the stench, I got used to blood, piss, shit and vomit… I remembered everything, like it was yesterday. And I remembered pain and death. It's the most traumatizing experience of my life and I'm trying to dull the agony and block out the memories… but it doesn't work."

Nodding, Jim said, "Why didn't you tell me that…?"

Raising his head, Artie took another swig of the bottle of whiskey. "I don't like to talk about myself. There are a lot of things you don't know about me," he said.

Watching the ocean, Jim nodded. The sun had descended below the horizon and the sky was darkening, the stars showing. "I know that. You're a very private man, and I respect that. You had a life full of danger and mysteries before we met in Petersburg where I almost killed you while trying to protect General Grant." He looked at his partner. "I'm here to help you, Artie."

Artemus gave a noncommittal grunt. "There are lots of things-s I keep s-s-secret," he slurred. He dropped his bottle of liquor in the sand and buried his face in his hands. "I'd like to be alone…"

Moving closer to his surrogate brother Jim said, "I'm staying. I want to help you." He rested his shoulder against Artie's in a supportive gesture. "Let me do that, Artie."

Grabbing the bottle of whiskey, Artemus downed a good third of it. "Go away!" he growled menacingly looking at Jim for the first time. "I came here to be on my own."

Unfazed, Jim noticed the dark circles around Artie's bloodshot eyes and shook his head. "No. And don't try to force me to go. In your state you couldn't hurt a fly, even less me, buddy."

Knowing that Jim wouldn't go away, he took deep breaths to calm his nerves and said, "Okay… only two people know this… Dr. Henderson and President Grant. I didn't say anything to my mom and to Harry… they would have been horrified. It still haunts me sometimes… but after our last mission, that nightmare oppressed me, overwhelmed me." He looked at the horizon, going dark and continued, "I was captured with a platoon of my men while reconnoitering enemy lines… that was before I was a spy, when I was still wearing my Captain's uniform and commanding my own company. Fortunately, because I would have been hanged as a spy from the first tree on the road otherwise. I was sent in Andersonville prison with my men…"

All the blood drained from Jims face and his stomach clenched. "Oh God…"

Swallowing hard, Artie shook his head. "Lucifer was there, not God." He added, "I didn't stay long in that prison, three weeks and five days, but long enough to see what hell on earth is… I was so desperate to leave that hellish place, that I tried to escape, knowing that I had little chance to, and that I would probably end up dead. But I didn't care. One day, there was a massive escape attempt. About a three hundred men rushed the first stockade made of rough-hewn logs about 16 feet high surrounded by stakes driven into the ground…, in an attempt to flatten them to the ground, to escape. I was among them. We wanted to do that with the two other stockades interspaced with no man's land but… we didn't manage to. We were shot like animals by sentries in the pigeon roosts. They all died in a bloodbath… all but me… I was very fortunate."

Placing a compassionate hand on Artie's trembling one, Jim said, "You do not have to tell me all this Artie, it's hurting you."

Lowering the bottle of whiskey to his lap, Artemus responded, "It helps me… I should have told you this a long time ago." He rubbed his stubbled jawline nervously. He took a slow, shaky breath. "It was horrible… I stayed buried under a pile of dead bodies for three days before… before the guards decided to bury everyone in a mass grave. I played dead… and it wasn't difficult, because I was unconscious most of the time due to extreme fatigue, and was buried too. It was the only way to escape the prison."

Horrified, Jim's body went rigid and he croaked, "What? You were buried?"

Eyes glazed, Artie said, "Yeah… I had the first panic attack of my life… I hurried to dig the earth by hand to get me out of there… it was a shallow mass grave, fortunately." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he mopped them with the back of his sleeve. "When I emerged out into the open, it was dark, and I was able to sneak out, without being seen, into the forest around the prison. I then killed a confederate soldier with my bare hands ... I stole his uniform and rifle and managed to reach the front line. I surrendered to the first soldier of the union. I was taken prisoner again, but an officer I knew recognized me and had me freed. A week later, still covered with filth and vermin, and very sick with dysentery, I ended up in Doctor Henderson's hands. He saved my life – again." He raised his bottle of whiskey, holding it by the neck and said, "To my men… and to all the others who died in that hellhole, in misery."

He took a long drink from it, and shook his head, trying to force the images away – but they clung to his mind like ghosts. They would probably haunt his nightmares till the end, he thought. He let out a strangled sob and started to cry… just before passing out and flopping down onto the sand.

It was dark.

WWW

 _The next morning on the beach_

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Artemus cracked open one eye and looked up at Jim's concerned face staring down at him. "Wha…?" he breathed out.

Shaking his best friend gently, Jim asked, very quietly. "How do you feel, Artie?"

His hangover pounding in his skull Artie closed his eye and tried to ignore his partner, but Jim insisted. He surrendered with a sigh. "Kill me," he rasped, his throat still thick with sleep.

Smiling, Jim said, "Never," and he maneuvred Artemus into a sitting position, slowly, gently, and the older man let out a groan in agony.

Fortunately for him the contents of his stomach stayed where it was.

Rubbing his tired face Artie spotted the two empty bottles of whiskey discarded beside the fire, the third one being almost empty and he winced. Everything ached and hurt and throbbed. "Oh God… did I drink all that whiskey all by myself? I'm never drinking again. Why did I drink so much? I hate hangovers. I'm still a little drunk I think…" He finally noticed he had slept on the beach, covered by his saddle blanket, now pooling on his lap. "I slept here, on the beach?"

Placing the saddle blanket around Artie's shoulders, Jim said, "We did. Let's go back to the Wanderer, Artie. You need to make yourself look human again…"

Nodding Artie frowned, trying desperately to remember what exactly had happened last night. He reached up and rubbed at his temple. "My head's feels like it's ripping in half…" then he buried his face in his hands as his memory started to come back in bits and pieces.

Looking at Jim sitting beside him on his own saddle blanket, Artie heaved a sigh and said, "Don't tell what happened there to my mom and Harry, promise me."

Placing a soothing hand on his companion's shoulder Jim said, "I promise. I won't tell that to anyone." He smiled and added, "Let's go back to the Wanderer."

He heard a loud "meow".

He frowned and turned around to see AG sitting on his hind legs on the sand. He opened his eyes wide in surprise. "AG? What are you doing here?" …

…

 _San Francisco railroad yard, July 21, 1875_

 _The Wanderer_

Jim woke up hearing a loud "meow."

Blinking, James West looked around him, surprised to be on his bed and not on the beach and heard a second meow as his young cat padded across his chest.

He heaved a long sigh of relief. He had had a nightmare, nothing had actually happened, he thought while AG started to lick his face, purring loudly.

He chuckled. "Mini cat, but big meow."

Holding the small cat against his chest, he left his bed and headed toward the galley remembering what had happened last night. Nothing special: he had settled in the armchair with a good book, a glass of French Cognac and a fine cigar while Artie had left for his lab with Marmalade and AG in tow to test a new invention of his: a cat tree, an artificial structure for a the cats to play, exercise and relax on.

He had gone to bed before Artie… who wasn't in the galley, by the way, he noticed. But breakfast was ready. The coffee pot was on the stove, a big steaming omelet was in a dish on the table, the toast was ready, beside opened pots of jams ... "Artie? Where are you?" He felt his throat close as his intuition signaled him a feeling of imminent danger. "ARTIE!"

He placed AG in his basket, next to the stove and entered the parlor suite a couple of seconds later… and froze on the spot as he discovered Artemus dressed in his pajamas and robe, framed between two hulking men, blood oozing from a cuton his left eyebrow. His partner was on his knees, hands on his head and one of the thugs had the end of his revolver touching his temple.

Jim frowned in concern. "Artie!"

Artemus nodded. "It's nothing, I'm okay," he said.

He looked at another man sitting on a golden embroidered sofa… Colonel Noel Bartley Vautrain. "Colonel Vautrain, I was wondering when you would show up. I can see that you recovered your legs, again."

The ex-Confederate officer smiled. "Actually, I have new 'artificial' legs, Mr. West… They can do wonders in the future." He tapped his right leg and added,. "Doctors equipped me with two 'bionic prostheses' resembling real legs that allow me to walk like anyone else… and enhance their strength. I can even run faster than anyone else and without tiring. The future was fascinating… and I will go back there – after I have avenged myself, by killing you and your partner."

Unfazed, crossing his arms on his chest, Jim said, "May I know how?"

Colonel Vautrain stood. "During my stay in the future, in 2057, I met people who helped me to develop my power and I'm now capable of…" He paused, preparing his effect, savoring it. "I'm now capable of sending anything or anyone, anywhere, anytime… and I mean _not necessarily on this planet_."

Both Jim and Artie exchanged a stunned gaze.

Colonel Vautrain continued, "I studied astronomy when I was in the future… and I'm so powerful now, that I'm going to exile you _in the future_ , on a _distant planet_ lost in a galaxy far, far, away… called Altair 9-B-2118. Altair from the Arabic al-nasr al-ṭā'ir which means "the eagle in flight" is one of the brightest stars in the Aquilae constellation, the constellation of the Eagle. Hence its Latin name which means eagle. I think it's appropriate for your last destination …" And he looked down at Artie. "As Mr. Gordon here has an eagle tattooed on his back..." He paused again in order to enjoy the incredulous looks from the two agents and continued, "I don't even need to find a place to open a portal between this dimension and the fourth… I just need to concentrate and… you vanish." He took his place in the armchair and smiled broadly. "I control space and time travel."

Deeply worried and a bit anxious, but not showing it, because it would have pleased Vautrain, Jim said, "And of course that planet doesn't support life… Artie and I will die instantly."

Colonel Vautrain smiled like a predator. "As far as the scientists from 2057 know, only Earth supports life. But there's always a possibility they're wrong, as they didn't go there to verify that. but one day, they will… using starships. Let's say that you have a 99, 99 % chance of dying. And… if you manage to survive, somehow, you won't be able to come back." He headed toward the Louis XV work table and sat down at it. "It feels so good to be able to walk again… Before you go, I'd like to ask you something that intrigues me: how did you manage to come back from your stay in the past, 10,000 years ago? It should have been impossible, as I didn't use my power to bring you back."

Leaning against the dresser, Jim replied, "Actually, Artemus has an interesting theory on that. It was Fate with a capital F which brought us back to our own time. We had a "mission' to accomplish there, and when it was done, Time, with capital T brought us back here."

Raising a surprised eyebrow, Vautrain said, "Fate and Time? Really?" Then he smiled. "It's an interesting theory, but I don't believe it." He touched his temple. "All the power of the universe is here… unknown to most people, dormant, unexploited – and I don't believe in God anymore, even less in archaic gods and goddesses like Fate and Time." He stood. "In that case you don't know what happened… but I do know something. That the two of you are going to die soon, like now."

He closed his eyes… and the two special agents vanished.

Tbc.


	2. Act One

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

WWW

 **ACT ONE**

 _On board the United Star Ship Enterprise_

Stifling a yawn, Captain James T. Kirk looked at the large view screen gazing distractedly at the passing stars. Same old, same old.

Boring.

He started twiddling his thumbs on the armrests.

He was Bored, bored with a capital 'B'; bored out of his mind.

He glanced around him, at his officers busy carrying out their assigned duties and started musing. Since their last mission on Zeta-Hydra IV where he had to fight against insectoid-warriors and had almost been killed (just routine), nothing exciting had happened, no aliens to meet and greet, no strange starships to fight against, no time travel, no beautiful women to flirt with, nothing! He loved action, needed action like he needed oxygen to survive. He lived for action!

He sighed, wondering if he wasn't going to go to the sickbay to have a friendly chat with bones about everything and nothing in particular... in front of a glass of Saurian brandy. He shook his head. 'Not on duty!' he chastised himself.

Captain Kirk focused on his First Officer as he noticed that the Vulcan, sitting at his station, seemed totally absorbed by something 'fascinating'. Spock was frowning. "Something interesting Mr. Spock?" He asked, hope flickering across his face. 'Please say yes!'

Still reading his instruments, the science officer nodded. "Yes Captain, the long range sensors have detected an unusual stream of energy traveling through space."

Kirk smiled. 'Ah! Something potentially exciting, finally! ' he thought. "Unusual how?" He asked, leaving his chair to join the other man at the science station.

Spock looked up at his best friend and Captain and explained, "The stream of energy has some of the characteristics of a transporter beam, but it does not resemble anything known and I detected no starship with the long range sensors which could have sent it. Its origin is unknown, but it's heading toward the Aquilae constellation at warp one ."

Feeling excitement coming back, Kirk said, "How long before we arrive at the Aquilae constellation at our present speed?"

Spock consulted his instruments, "6.2 hours, Captain."

Kirk went back to his seat and commanded, " Mr. Sulu, increase speed, warp one. Let's follow that stream of energy. I want to be there when it reaches its destination. "

Sulu nodded. "Aye, Captain, warp one."

WWW

 _On Altair 9-B-2118_

Freezing, Artemus said, "Oh, no! No! No! Not again!" his breath came out in long puffs of white cloud in the horrid cold. "I just really hate the cold."

He wrapped his arms tightly around him. He had never felt cold like this before, not even when he was trapped with Jim 10,000 years in the past, he thought.

Looking around him at the immense desert of snow and ice, Jim said through teeth chattering together, "Look on the bright side Artie. We're not dead. Colonel Vautrain was wrong. This planet support's life."

Raising his eyes toward reddish sky, Artie saw two planets up above him, one red, one orange and stared, immobile, at them, totally amazed – for a few seconds only. "Fan-tas-tic!... We're not on Earth anymore…" Then feeling the intense cold blistering his skin, he added, his teeth chattering, "Yes, it does s-s-support life. Our own lives, us, and it won't for-for long as we're go-going to die from exposure to the c-c-cold … I b-bet the only living c-creatures here are you-you and m-me." He closed his bathrobe and rubbed his arms feeling the chill going right to his core. "I c-can't see any sh-shelter… Just miles and miles of an i-icy deadly p-plain. I don't want to be pessimistic Jim, but-but… I think our l-legend-l-legendary lu-luck just ran out." He moved closer to his best friend and then added, "Freezing to-to death is not t-the way I t-thought I would die ... b-but at least I w-will d-die of c-cold in g-good c-company."

His lips deeply chapped, Jim managed to crack a smile for a split second – before regretting it as drops of blood escaped from a split lip and froze instantly. "Yes, y're r-right. The b-best Artie. W-what about g-going for a-a-a w-w-walk? to-to w-warm us up?" and he took a step forward and clutched his muscular arms to his chest, shivering so hard it hurt.

The snow ankle deep crunched under his feet.

Looking up again at the two planets in the alien-colored sky, Artie said, "I'm w-wondering w-what's the d-date he-here? V-Vautrain sent us-s-s in the f-future…"

Moving ahead, Jim replied, "I d-don't k-know… Let's m-move Artie… "

His body wracked by a violent tremble, the older man looked at his companion. "What f-for?... T-there's n-no s-shel-shelter anywhere? D-dying here or elsewhere of h-hypothermia… N-no difference."

Placing a hand on Artemus's shoulder Jim said, "Maybe w-we'll b-be lucky again… w-who knows? We have to s-survive…"

Frowning Artie gestured at the endless white. "Impossible." But he followed Jim anyway. "G-god! I'm c-cold, so c-cold." He stuttered. His fingers and toes and arms and legs felt like ice. He tried to warm his hands by tucking them under his armpits.

Jim nodded. "Me too," He was shivering non-stop, uncontrollably, his teeth chattering even more, if possible. "So free-freezing c-c-cold."

His head swimming, completely exhausted and feeling like he weighted tons, Artie sank to his knees in the icy snow.

He was breathing in shallow, shuddering gasps. "I c-can't continue…" He breathed out. He closed his eyes, more violent shudders ripping through his body. Feeling Jim press his shoulder, he opened his eyes, blinking. "C't m-move," he let out, his voice coming out as a croak, numb limbs refusing to cooperate. He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "D-dying," he added quietly. His tears froze to his lashes. "M'sorry..." He trailed off and let out a rasping breath." G'd bye J'm." He closed his eyes. It won't be long now, he thought. "Ssee you soon…"

He let go and collapsed to the icy ground, face first.

Kneeling beside his unconscious best friend, Jim rolled Artie over, onto his back, and gently brushed the snow out of his face so very white it was almost blue. "Yesss, ssssee you sssoon, Artie," he said as he brushed his companion's cheekbone gently with the pad of his thumb.

Soon, yes.

They would be together again, back on the Wanderer soon. He knew that, when Vautrain was involved, dying pulled people back through time, to the start point. After his best friend's death, they would leave that hell of ice and go back home.

He touched his partner's throat with two fingers and his skin felt like ice. Artie's pulse was so slow and shallow it was almost nonexistent but the pulse was there. He was still breathing, but he was far too still. His lips were colorless and his face was slack.

He hated seeing Artemus die. He'd seen him cold and lifeless far too many times already – enough that it haunted him whenever Artie got hurt, he thought. As for Artie, he coped pretty well with the fact that his death saved them both. It was only a temporary death, he added in his numbing mind.

He pulled Artie to a sitting position and wrapped his arms tight around him as chills wracked his body. "It'ssss not go-going to beee long now bud-buddy. He squeezed Artie's cold fingers tightly. "Let'sssss ho-hope Vau-autrain will beeee gone." The darkness – and death - was tugging at him, he groaned. "Soon Artie…" He was so cold, that he couldn't even feel some parts of his body anymore.

His vision was starting to fade at the edges. it wouldn't be long now. "Sssee you ssssoon, Artie," he slurred and he closed his eyes.

WWW

 _On board the USS Enterprise_

Spock, sitting at his station turned toward the Captain, standing beside Mr. Sulu. "The stream of energy has disappeared. It reached its destination,Altair 9-B-2118, thirty-five minutes ago _._ " he announced. Through the viewscreen he looked at the gray-blue planet shown there and added, "The planet is class-M and capable of supporting humanoid life, with a standard oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere but it is covered with ice and the average temperature is 50 degrees Celsius below zero, too cold for most humanoids."

Kirk nodded. "Did someone materiallize on that planet below us?"

The scientific officer checked his instruments. "Yes, Captain. The sensors are detecting two live-signs, faint and unmoving." He lifted a surprised eyebrow and added, in a neutral tone, "Humans."

Everyone on the bridge was astounded. Kirk's eyes widened and he repeated, "Humans?" Then he added, "Have them transported directly to sickbay. They'll be in hypothermia. Tell Dr. McCoy and a medical team to stand ready."

Spock nodded. "Yes Captain."

He headed toward the turbo lift and entered sickbay shortly after, finding McCoy buzzing tricorder already in hand, framed between two male nurses.

Below on the planet, lights swirled around Jim and Artie and they dematerialized… to materialize in a shimmering halo of light in the middle of the examination room of the sickbay.

Blinking dazedly, a very haggard-looking James West glanced around him. "Help… please… " He breathed out through chattering teeth, seeing blurred colors and human-like shapes in front of him. He slumped bonelessly to the floor, beside an inert Artemus.

In a split second Kirk rushed toward the two unconscious men in time with the CMO, both crouching on the floor beside Jim and Artie.

Looking down at James West, Kirk noticed that his eyes were half-open, unfocused, his lips blueish. His white skin was frozen from exposure and painfully swollen with blisters. "You're safe. Can you hear me?"

Closing his eyes, still barely conscious, Jim moaned, "H-hurts… C-c-cold. Art-ie, s-save Ar-Artie." he murmured through his shivering lips. Then his legs gave out and he hit the ground face-first.

McCoy immediately activated his medical tricorder, running the detachable hand-held high-resolution scanner over his future patients' unresponsive bodies. "Like I though,t they are both suffering from severe hypothermia," he said the readout confirming it. Pointing at Artemus he added, "Core body temperature 82 degrees Farenheit and dropping fast…Pulse is very slow and weak… it is almost nonexistent….He's still alive, but barely, just hanging by a thread." Placing the device in Kirk's hand he hurried to strip off Artie's ice-stiffened, wet clothes that were making him colder.

Once Artemus was naked he cocooned him in a couple of blankets complete with heating packs. Then he repeated what he had just done with Jim.

He examined Artie again and cursed under his breath, "He has heart arrhythmias… I'm going to lose him!" He looked up at the big, hulking male nurse standing on his left. "Place them on the biobed, now! I need to stabilize that man ASAP:"

Kirk and Bones stood, watching the nurses maneuvering each of the two unconscious men onto a biobed, then they activated them.

Kirk frowned, totally puzzled. "They are wearing pajamas and robes… Where the hell did they come from?" He asked.

McCoy moved beside his 'older' patient.

Leonard placed the cardio-stimulator over Artie's chest and activated it. Then he went to work with hypo-sprays that he had prepared knowing that his patients would be hypothermic. "Their clothes are old-fashioned Jim, dating from the19th century Earth, 1870 or 1880, I would say. It was a very interesting period on Earth… but modern medicine was at its beginning or almost! I studied it when I was in the Academy, for a presentation… Now, please, let me work." He glanced at the readouts displayed on the biobed monitor, watching his older patient's heart and brain functions. "Damnit! He's weakening…"

Kirk was even more troubled. "19th century? That's impossible. People didn't have the technology to travel through time back then. They used horses! And the most advanced means of transport was the steam train! Could they be time travelers?"

Bones nodded. "That's possible. Something went wrong on their journey though time… On the way out or on the way back and they ended up on that giant ice-cube of a planet."

Kirk nodded and started to go through the 'time travelers'' clothes to find a device granting them the ability to travel through time. He didn't find anything. "Maybe they used something like a portal of some kind, and it malfunctioned…" He proposed.

McCoy looked at Kirk. "Damnit Jim! You can ask them as many questions as you want later! For now I'm busy trying to save their lives. Bring me the dermo-regenetators!"

WWW

 _Much later, USS Enterprise NCC-1701_

 _Recovery Ward_

Feeling deliciously warm, relaxed and comfortable, Jim opened his eyes, blinking lazily, giving them time as they adjusted to the bright light around him.

The first thing he noticed was the clean, antiseptic smell. Then he realized that he was lying on a mattress, that there was a blanket covering him, pulled up to his collarbone, and that a pillow was cushioning his head. There was a gray, metallic ceiling above him.

Hospital, he immediately thought. 'I'm in a hospital.'

Feeling good he wanted to drift back to sleep, but a repetitive and steady thud, thud, thud beating above him. In fact he could hear two series of noises. Two series of sounded like heartbeats. His and another's. Someone else was there too, he realized. But where was that noise coming from?

He suddenly felt someone press his shoulder and a feminine voice, soft and musical encouraging him, "That's it. Open your eyes."

Blinking a few times to clear his vision, he found himself staring at a woman's face. She was leaning over him and had blue eyes and a warm, soothing smile. She was beautiful. "Angel?" he rasped.

Christine Chapel shook her head and touched her patient's arm gently. "It's all right. "You're not dead and I'm not an angel. Hello. My name is Christine Chapel and I'm the nurse on duty. You have been unconscious for a while, but you're okay now."

He released a long sigh of relief. "Hospital, nurse, beautiful blond nurse… I'm back." He offered Christine his most charming smile and said, "Hi."

Christine smiled broadly in response. "Hello."

He lifted a weak hand, rubbing his face. "What's that annoying sound?" He blinked twice, suddenly realizing something. Why was he in a hospital? If he was back home, he should be on the Wanderer, not here. Did something happen after they came back?

Christine responded. "It's the beeping of the biosensors… they're coming from your biobed and the one occupied by your friend…"

Suddenly Jim blanched, lurched upward and looked around him, in panic. "Where's Artemus? Where's my friend?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

Christine pressed gently, but firmly on Jim's chest, forcing him to lay back flat on his back on the biobed. "Calm down, please, your friend's here," and then she moved to the side revealing another medical bed. Artemus was lying on it, under an orange-gold sparkling blanket, pulled up to his collarbone. His head was resting on a pillow made in the same fabric.

There was some kind of box hanging on the wall above his head with lights and colors – reminding him of Loveless's machines, but a lot more elaborate.

He lifted his head and saw the same machine above his own bed.

Frowning in worry, Jim noticed that Artie was very pale and his face was sunken and covered in a layer of stubble. But he was breathing steadily and sleeping soundly and he felt reassured. "You sure? He asked, "because he looks like a ghost."

Nurse Chapel nodded. "I'm sure, yes. Artemus… It's a nice name. Don't worry, your friend is alright and he will make a full recovery. "

Releasing a sigh of relief, Jim glanced around him and frowned, both puzzled and intrigued. He had never seen a hospital like this. Everything looked so technologically advanced, not from his time, but from the future, he reflected. "Where are we?... and when? What happened? The last thing I remember is… Artie and I stuck on an ice-covered planet…"

Christine smiled. "It's not exactly a hospital you see, but a sickbay…"

Suddenly the door swished open and Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk entered the sickbay, making a beeline for the awakened traveler.

Christine Chapel said, "I'll come back later, I have work to do. You're in good hands." And she gave the PADD she was holding to her CO. "Here are the last readings, Doctor, everything's normal," she said. Then she left the room, heading back toward Dr. M'Benga's office.

Kirk moved to the end of Jim's bed while Leonard checked Artie's vitals on the biobed monitor. "I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the starship _Enterprise_ ," he introduced himself, straightening his tunic.

Jim opened his eyes wide with stupefaction. "Starship? You mean… a ship traveling between the stars?" He gestured to the recovery ward ."That explains why all this… looks so… 'Loveless-machine-like', was the first thing that came to his mind. "So… not from my time."

Kirk was very surprised too. "You and your companion aren't time travelers?... I thought you were from our time, or even from the future and had an 'accident' on the way out or on the way back and ended up on that ice planet…"

Observing the man in the golden tunic, Jim said, in response, "I'm James T. West, I'm a special agent of the United States Secret Service… working under President Grant's direct orders, Captain. I'm not from the future, but from the past."

McCoy smiled. "Two James T's…what a coincidence!"

Kirk lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "President Grant?"

Bones joined his CO and said, "Ulysses S. Grant, April 27, 1822, July 23, 1885. He was the 18th President of the United States. I love Earth history."

It was Jim's turn to be surprised and then he blanched at the terrible news. "The President dies in 1885?... Oh, God." He pushed himself up, and his entire body screamed in protest when he went to sit up. He grimaced and groaned.

Catching Kirk's pointed stare addressed to him, McCoy realized that he shouldn't have told their patient that. "I'm sorry." He cleared his throat and added, "I'm Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer. How do you feel?"

Jim noticed that McCoy had a different uniform – sleeveless and shining-blue. But he had the same insignia on his chest and the same black pants.

Brow creased, Jim raised his right hand – healed and with new pink skin - and he was amazed, remembering all the blisters and frozen blood covering it. "I feel… I feel alive, achy and warm," he finally responded, his voice rough and raspy. He looked at McCoy and then added, "I should be in a bad state after severe hypothermia… and I'm not."

McCoy smiled. "Miracles of 23rd century medicine."

Kirk nodded. "Thanks to the best damn Doctor in Starfleet, too."

Hearing that, Jim was completely baffled and remained open-mouthed for at least ten seconds. "Wha-at? 23rd century?... Oh God! A few hours ago, it was 1875 for Artie and me…"

Curious McCoy asked, "What date exactly?

"July 21, and we were on board our train called the Wanderer, in San Francisco…" Jim responded.

The CMO of the Enterprise added, "You leapt way ahead in time and space… literally speaking. I can tell you in detail what I did to you, if you want me to. The treatment was more complex with your friend."

Feeling his stomach plummet, Jim looked at Artie lying on the nearby bed, still unconscious. "His name is Gordon, Artemus Gordon, he's my partner. How is he?"

Leonard responded before turning toward Artie, "After a few hours… following the severe hypothermia… he suffered from ventricular fibrillation which is a dangerous "fluttering" rhythm of the heart, and he went into cardiac arrest. His heart stopped. We lost him a few times, but I managed to bring him back, without any aftereffects to his brain."

Jim winced. "Thank you…"

Bones continued, "His brain activity is normal. No sign of any damage. He's stable now. He's going to make a full recovery, but it will take some time. I used the dermo-regenerator to make the damage to the skin vanish… Ah! He's awake, " he said and found the other man's eyes red-rimmed from fatigue open, blinking at him. They were dazed and exhausted, but they were open. "Well, it looks like he woke up before I expected."

Smiling, Jim nodded. "I'm not surprised, Artemus is the strongest man I know."

Leonard moved to Artie's side and smiled at him. "I'm Dr. McCoy, Mr. Gordon, you're safe here." He glanced at his other patient. "Your friend is safe too. Everything is going to be alright."

Blinking slowly, head muzzy, Artie croaked, "J'm where…?" and blindly reached out for him. "Jim!"

Moving out of his biobed in half a heartbeat, Jim started the biobed alarm and McCoy quickly turned it off. "It's in case a patient falls from the biobed," he said.

Ignoring that, Jim climbed onto Artie's biobed and took Artemus's hand in his. "I'm here, Artie. We're safe and we're both going to be alright." Then he ran soothing fingers through his best friend's wild dark hair. "Sleep now. We'll talk later, okay?"

Immensely relieved to see his best friend's face, smiling weakly, Artemus nodded. ''Kay," he whispered, very groggy. He blinked slowly several times until his eyes fully closed and his head slid limply to the side. He was fast asleep.

His arms crossed over his chest, McCoy gave Jim West a stern look. "Get back in your bed, Mr. West. You were half-dead a few hours ago. You need rest. Do it before I sedate you!"

Smiling, Jim released his hold on Artemus's hand and complied. "Call me Jim, please." Then he finally noticed then that he was wearing blue pajamas with a V-shaped opening at the chest, showing a black fabric. "Don't worry; I'll be a model patient."

Looking at his 'own Jim', McCoy bounced up and down on his toes and said, "That will be a change from my own Jim." He then looked at the other Jim. "I will call you James, to avoid confusion with Jim here, if it's okay with you of course."

Smiling, 'James' nodded. "You have my permission, doctor."

Kirk moved closer to James and asked him, "I'd like to know how you and your partner end up in that stream of energy – coming from Earth in your time - and onto the planet below us? It's pretty unusual for two men from the 19th century."

Opening his eyes wide, James finally realized that he and Artie where on board a 'starship'… in space, orbiting a planet. "Oh my…" He turned toward Artie ready to tell him that, but didn't, as the older man was sleeping soundly and snoring softly.

Looking at Kirk, James replied, "Long story short, a man called Noel Bartley Vautrain used the 'power of his mind' to send Artie and me here. He had previously sent us into the past, 10,000 years in the past, to be exact. He wanted to kill us using freezing cold temperatures. He failed. We came back. He tried to kill us again, sending us to that planet 'below"… and you saved us. He failed again." He sighed, resigned. "He'll try again, as things never come in twos but threes. He can use his power to send anything or anyone, anywhere, anytime… and here we are. In the future, on board a starship."

McCoy nodded. "That's a _fascinating_ story, as Mr. Spock would say…" and the door swooshed open, interrupting him. He craned a look over his shoulder and saw the tall slender frame of the resident Vulcan. He smiled. "Speaking of the devil…"

Blanching, Jim flinched, gasped in fright and jumped off the biobed, his fist raised, ready to fight the demon with the light-green hue, the raised eyebrows and the pointy ears which was approaching him. "D-don't even come closer, devil! I can kill you barehanded."

McCoy shook his head. "No, no, I wasn't speaking literally…"

Spock lifted an eyebrow, the only visible sign of his surprise and calmly said, "Despite what Dr. McCoy just said, I'm not a devil or demon. Don't be afraid. I'm a Vulcan."

Kirk smiled. "Calm down, Mr. West. Mr. Spock is from a planet called Vulcan. He's my scientific officer and First Officer. Spock spotted the stream of energy containing the dematerialized form of you and your friend –– and he located you on that planet. He basically saved your lives."

Relaxing a little, James lowered his fist. "I'm sorry… It's only the second time I've seen someone from another planet ."

Spock nodded and folded his hands behind his back with his usual deadpan expression. "Apology accepted, I should have anticipated your reaction and asked the Captain to introduce me to you."

Kirk was very surprised. "You met a non-human being before Spock?"

Moving back to his biobed, James observed Spock's face. "Yes. One day, Artie and I met pale-green-skinned woman with beautiful bright-red-haired and cat-like ears, wearing a golden tight-fitting suit and an orange gun belt. She was armed and she hit us with a green beam of energy, from a gun that Artie named 'ray-gun'." She looked at Artie, who had rolled onto his right side and let out a soft chuckle. "She was very interested in Artemus… she could see his body though his clothes."

Kirk grinned his eyes twinkling with mischief. "That's… an interesting ability."

McCoy rolled his eyes. Something that James – womanizer in chief of the galaxy – Kirk would have loved to be able to do.

James continued, "But, finally, she left in her 'flying saucer'… I can say starship now. Of course Artie and I kept this secret… we didn't want to create a general panic. People would have believed us, because we're Government agents, because we have had the President's trust for years, and because they believed that those fake green women from space and their ship seen by the people from the town of Morning Glory were real… but they weren't. Long story. We won't say anything about our stay here either, to anyone. We promise. We know it could affect history."

Spock nodded, "I knew that Altaran females had that ability… and the males did not." he raised an eyebrow and said, "You have met an Altaran female… Fascinating! We know close to nothing about the Altarans. They have a matriarchal society and males have inferior roles when they're not sex slaves. We know too, that their ships possess a time-travel core drive that permits them to travel through space and time."

Glancing at Artie, James smiled. "Could you contact one? Artie and I don't belong in your time…" Then he looked at Jim. "Is it possible?"

Kirk shook his head. "No, I'm sorry."

Disappointed Jim's shoulders sagged suddenly. "Why?"

Spock explained, "The Altarans live in gigantic motherships harboring their smaller one-pilot starships, traveling throughout galaxies. They are known to avoid others and have a tendency to engage other ships when they come close. You were in a way lucky to meet one."

James said, "Then, I suppose you'll have to find another way to send us back." Then he smiled and said, "Artie was lucky, she liked him very much… She was very attracted to him and… showed it. I'd never forget what she told him. She said "If you were an Altaran male, I would kidnap you here and now and I would add you to my _vre'ed'anj_ – I think she meant harem - and make my _favorite_ of you. But having non-Altaran males as sex-slaves is forbidden by the law, that's too bad, you would have been perfect."

Spock nodded. "Altaran women have male sex slaves they chose from among the male population on very precise criteria, like their anatomy, the color of their skin, the darker green it is, the more a male is considered attractive…"

Kirk raised his hand, "Thank you, Mr. Spock for that presentation." Then looking at James he asked, "How did you manage to get back to your own time?"

Jim rubbed his itchy jawline. "Well… We don't know exactly. Artie had a theory about Fate and Time being involved in that but he found later that it was a bit…far-fetched."

Spock couldn't help but look quizzical at that.

Jim continued, "Now he has another theory, a more probable one, even it's a hard-to-believe one. The first time Artie died, he came back to our time, the second time he died, he came back 'home' too."

McCoy glanced at Artemus and was flabbergasted. "He died twice?"

Glancing at Artie too, James said, "Yes, he did." Seeing that Kirk and McCoy were frowning, and Spock was lifting an intrigued eyebrow, he explained it to them, "I'm going to tell you what happened the last time with Vautrain. The Colonel sent Artie and me into the past, during the last glacial period… on Earth. He wanted us to die there, in the cold, alone. We almost did, but we were saved by proto-Indians. Artie had problems with his heart and he died from a cardiac arrest a few hours later… and we came back. Artie's theory is now that dying pulls you back through time, to the start point. It explains also how Vautrain 'and his officers 'escaped' after they all died in a burning manor house."

Fascinated, Spock nodded. "It's a fascinating story."

Kirk nodded too. "In that case, when Artemus dies, you will both go back home."

Looking back at Artie who was mumbling in his sleep, James said, "and knowing Artemus like I do, he won't hesitate to sacrifice himself in order to carry us back."

McCoy frowned. "You mean that he intends to kill himself? I forbid it! We'll find another way to send you back, right Jim?"

Kirk nodded. "Bones is right, we'll find another way."

Spock moved closer to Artie's bed, intrigued by the words he was mumbling in his sleep. It wasn't English and he didn't know the language.

Leaving his biobed again, Jim pulled back the blankets covering Artie's legs and pulled up his pajamas top, revealing his Comanche tattoo and the three Enterprise officers stared at the black eagle, wings spread, all of them fascinated. He said, "Artie's a polyglot, he speaks fluent Spanish, Russian, French, and German… and he speaks Cheyenne and Comanche languages like an Indian. He's an adoptive Comanche warrior and a Cheyenne warrior, with two eagle feathers. I think he's speaking Cheyenne." He smiled and added, "This tattoo marks him as a Comanche. He's very proud of it. For the Comanche, he's Strong Bear and for the Cheyenne, he's White Eagle." He continued, still very proud of Artie. "He's a remarkable chemist and a brilliant inventor and engineer. He's a great actor too and he cooks like a professional Chef. Oh! And he can sing operas too…" Then he chuckled. "Artemus Gordon a formidable man."

Spock nodded. "Indeed, and what are your domains of expertise, Mr. West?"

James smiled proudly. "I'm the best with a gun and a rifle. I'm a very good swimmer, a boxer, I can use any kind of weapon, I'm very good at hand-to-hand combat, I can climb anything with the sole help of my hands and legs,… etc."

Spock nodded. "I see, in your team, your friend is the brain, you're the brawn," he said, bluntly. "It's a very effective duo, you are complementary."

Scowling, the agent replied, "It's a bit reductionist don't you think?"

McCoy shook his head and rolled his eyes for a split second. "Don't take it personally, James. Spock's always like that - blunt. He has no emotions, at least he tells us that. But he has, he's just doing his best to suppress them. Anyway, it was meant to be a compliment."

Spock shook his head and was tempted to huff in denial. "It was not, Doctor. Following what Mr. West said about his partner's qualities and his, I wanted to point out…"

Artie stirred, rolled on his left side and slowly opened his eyes, letting out a quiet groan of annoyance. ""Shhh…, m' trying to sleep," he said, his voice throaty with sleep. He slowly moved onto his back and scrubbed his hand over his face, rubbing at his sleep-swollen eyes. "Guess s' too late…" Then he groaned as the bright light hurt his eyes and he shaded them with one hand.

Seeing Spock's 'devil face and pointy ears', full fledge panic set in and he gasped, blood draining from his face. Moving back in a hurry, frightened, he almost collapsed from the biobed and started the alarm that McCoy quickly turned off.

He ended in his partner's arms. "De-demon," he stuttered. He felt a little dizzy and made a grab for the biobed to steady himself.

Spock had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes in exasperation but didn't permit himself though he was on the borderline of a sigh. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Mr. Gordon. I'm not a demon, but a Vulcan."

Still trembling in James's arms, Artie glanced at his best friend who nodded. "He-he's telling the truth? He's not a demon?"

Helping Artie to sit on the biobed, Jim moved his hand in slow, reassuring circles across his best friend's shoulder blades. "No he's not. He's the First officer, called Spock," he said. Then he stroked his fingers through Artemus's hair in order in soothe him. With a soft voice, he added, "Calm down, Artie." And the effect was immediate, his best friend relaxed. Then he indicated Kirk and continued, "This is Captain Kirk, commanding officer of the starship _Enterprise_ …"

Opening huge eyes, in utter surprise Artie croaked, "What? A starship?... We're on board a starship?" He looked at Spock and said, "That explains why he's not…human… but a _Vulcan_." He looked at McCoy. "And you're a doctor, Dr. McCoy, right?"

McCoy nodded. "Yes, welcome aboard, Mr. Gordon." He saw Artemus observe the Jim's and his biobeds with excitement and intense _scientific_ curiosity, and explained, "You are in the Recovery Ward of the sickbay. The biobeds are equipped with biofunction monitors and give detailed information about a patient's condition, the readouts are displayed on the overhead monitors. The six scales you can see on the monitor are used to measure body temperature, brain activity, lung efficiency, cell rate, heart valve action, and blood pressure. There are hidden sensors…" He stopped when he noticed that Jim had folded his arms across his chest and was giving him a pointed look. "TMI… I know."

Then, like the others the CMO heard Artie's stomach groan and asked, "You're hungry it would seem. What do you want to eat?"

Placing a hand on his stomach in an attempt to shush it, embarrassed, Artie said, "I'm so hungry I would eat anything… Except buffalo tongue. I don't like it."

Spock upturned an eyebrow. "Buffalo tongue ? Is it a delicacy from 19th century Earth?" he asked, very curious.

Artie nodded. "It's a Cheyenne delicacy, to be precise. But I don't have the stomach for it. "Then he realized that Jim was wearing strange pajamas – like him – and that he looked fine and inspected his face with his fingertips before staring at his hands, intact. Everything was intact. No blisters. "You did a remarkable job doctor McCoy, thank you very much. You saved our lives." Then he observed the sickbay equipment, eyes shining with excitement. "We're obviously far away in the future…"

James just said, "23rd century, Artie."

The older agent was dumbfounded. "Wha-at?"

McCoy chuckled. "It was a pleasure to save your lives. What about something more 'classical' than buffalo tongue. Roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, an apple pie for dessert?"

Smiling broadly, Artie nodded. "That's perfect, could you add a cup of coffee with that?"

The doctor nodded. "No problem." He headed toward the food synthesizer located in the wall opposite and took one of the program cards placed on the side of the receptacle. He inserted it in the slot of the device and shortly after food on a plate, a fork and a knife, a mug of coffee materialized along with a tray.

Both James and Artemus were astounded.

McCoy placed the tray on Artie's lap. "Food synthesizers can synthetizes any type of food and beverage. One day these food synthesizers will work by voice command. But if you want something specific, I can have other cards programmed."

Curious, Artie tasted the mashed potatoes and the gravy and liked it, a lot. "It's good… it tastes like real food. How does that fantastic machine work?"

McCoy pointed at Spock, "I'm a doctor, not an engineer, ask Mr. Spock. He's the scientific officer, not me." Then, looking at Jim he asked, "What about you, James?"

Sitting beside Artie on the edge of the biobed, watching his best friend devouring what was on his plate with gusto, he replied, "Same thing."

He had climbed onto his biobed when McCoy placed the tray on his lap. "Good appetite, you need to eat to regain some strength."

Looking at Jim Kirk, James West asked, "What's the T stand for?"

Kirk replied, "Tiberius. You?"

Artie chuckled. "T for Troublemaker."

McCoy chuckled too. "That's what I say about Jim too."

Like Artie, James wolfed down his food and drank the mug of coffee, finding everything very good. Then the two men gave McCoy their trays and lay down on their biobeds, fatigued.

Once under the brightly colored blankets, they smiled at each other, and James said, "It's going to be alright Artie. We'll get back home, one way or the another."

Feeling confident, Artie nodded. "I know."

Kirk nodded, seeing his two guests' eyes closing. "Good night gentlemen, I'll see you in the morning." Then he left, Spock following him.

Once in the corridor, Jim asked Spock, "I want to know everything about those two men. Contact Starfleet. There

must be traces of their files in archives, somewhere. Oh, and you have the command, Spock. Bones and I are off duty now."

Spock nodded, "Yes, Captain."

McCoy dimmed the light in sickbay and said, "Goodnight," but didn't receive any 'goodnights' in response as both James and Artemus were asleep. He joined the two other men in the corridor and said to Kirk, "It's M'Benga's shift. How about a drink?"

Jim smiled. "Sounds great!"

Spock said "See you in the morning, Captain, Doctor. Have a good night" Then he headed toward the turbolift.

Tbc.


	3. Act Two

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

WWW

 **ACT TWO**

 _Later_

 _In Dr McCoy's quarters_

McCoy poured a blue-colored liquor into a glass and pushed it across the table toward Jim. "Premium vintage Romulan ale," was all he said.

Kirk gave Bones a scolding glare. "It's illegal, Bones, you know that, right?"

Leonard smiled innocently. "Really? Oh come on, it's for medicinal purposes only… You need to relax, Jim. You're a bit tense and that's not good for a starship captain. And you're not going to tell this to anyone, are you, Jim?"

Kirk shook his head. "Of course not. I like this stuff too," he said. He added, "But I don't like the following hangover. That stuff makes you an instant drunk."

Leonard poured a second glass of the highly intoxicating alcoholic beverage for himself, then sat at the table across from his best friend. "So, how are we going to help our guests?"

Pensively running a fingertip around the rim of his glass for a few seconds, Jim finally said, "It's not a simple matter, Bones." He drank more than half the strong ale in one go, grimacing as the fiery liquid hit the back of his throat and left a trail of fire from there to his stomach. "Woah!"

McCoy chuckled mockingly, refilled Jim's glass as full as before and then took a cautious sip. "Beware Jim, it's not Saurian brandy. It's quite a bit stronger and it's a little harsh on the throat." He paused, appreciating the taste and added, "Remember that time warp accident? What about trying the same method we used to leave 1960's Earth, you know, 'slingshotting' around the Sun to break away and return to our time?"

Kirk nodded. "That maneuver is very risky and even a small miscalculation could destroy the ship; or make us miss our own time period. We were extremely lucky the first time we did that, and I don't want to take those risks again, Bones."

Bones nodded. "Then we could go back to the planet of the 'Guardian of Forever'… that thing functions like a time travel portal." He shivered remembering his cordrazine-induced madness and his brief stay in 1930's Earth, and the death of Edith Keeler, with whom Jim had fallen in love…

Kirk nodded his face darkening, swirling the dark midnight blue ale around in his glass nervously. "I know, you could have saved her… " He said, guessing Bones' thought. "But I had no other choice. In order to save our future, I had to allow her to die. It was… one of the most difficult things I ever had to do in my life… and it was the mission I hated the most." He took a swallow of the alcoholic beverage.

McCoy heaved a long sigh. "Yeah, same here…"

The Captain nodded. "That's good thinking Bones, the Guardian offers a chance to travel through time, yes… but it brings all the travelers back again. It won't let people stay behind… It's programmed that way."

Bones nodded. "Yeah. So, what do you plan to do?"

Rubbing his tired eyes, Jim replied, "I'm going to keep our guests in sickbay until they are okay and post two security guards to keep an eye on them. Then, when they feel better, I will confine them to guest quarters. I don't want to give them the opportunity to learn more they already know about this ship and our time period in general. They know far too many things already for my taste… but fortunately it's nothing too damaging. They've already seen an alien starship and met an alien and didn't say anything… I think that we can trust them and let them go back home eventually."

Upset, Bones glared at Kirk. "Good God, Jim! You wanted to keep them _prisoners_ , here?"

Kirk took a cautious sip and responded, "Yes, I do, in order to prevent them from altering the course of history, as I wanted to do with Captain Christopher of the USAF." He frowned. "Why are you disagreeing with that idea, now Bones? If I remember correctly, you weren't against the idea. You even wanted to retrain him and re-educate him to fit into our world."

Feeling bad, Leonard cringed. "I know… It was a bad idea, I regret it now, but in my defense I wanted to help Captain Christopher."

Kirk smirked. "You sounded like Spock when you said that."

Bones gave Jim a black look. "If you're gonna get nasty, I'm gonna leave…"

Jim chuckled and he continued. "I dismissed that thought after James West told us that he and his partner wouldn't tell anyone about their stay here. They are men of honor who will keep their promise. After all they work for the President of the United States and are accustomed to handling secrets and to work in secret… I'm sure they will keep what they learned secret… like President Grant's date of death…"

Bones cringed. "I'm sorry about that, Jim. It was a reflex."

Kirk nodded. "I understand, Bones. You were very surprised… and it escaped you." He sighed. "But we have to find a way to send them back…"

McCoy nodded. "I think you should let them interact with us then and not keep them confined to the guest quarters."

Kirk sighed. "You have valid arguments there, Bones. Okay… I'll think about it – later." He yawned and added, "For now, I'm going to head for my quarters to hit my bed." He downed the rest of the Romulan ale in one go and grimaced again. "That stuff is going to make holes in my stomach…" He stood up, feeling lightheaded. "Thanks Bones, have a goodnight."

McCoy smiled. "Goodnight, Jim." He watched Kirk leave as he swallowed the remaining liquor. He yawned. "Time to go to bed, old man."

WWW

 _Later in sickbay_

It was hours later that James West woke up with an urgent need to pee. He looked at Artie, now lying on his right side, facing him, sleeping and not peacefully.

He was mumbling again in his sleep, but the words were unintelligible, garbled… and Jim wondered if he was speaking Cheyenne again.

But Artie wasn't. His arrival on board the _Enterprise_ and his meeting with Spock had triggered his memory about his meeting with the green woman from space…

Artie's dream:

Eyes wide open with both stupefaction and fear – but mostly with fear, and not hiding the fact, because he never hid his emotions, Artemus Gordon pointed with a trembling finger (the rest of his body trembling too) at the flying pie plate that had landed in the middle of the mesa. It was glowing bright blue and emitting a strange whirring sound, the same sound they had heard in the Wanderer while they had watched the very big ball of blue light falling down from the sky an hour ago. "It's… it's not a meteorite like we thought, Jim."

Using his spyglass James West, kneeling hidden behind a bush, was surveying the flying machine. It was made of silvery metal, with no visible openings. It had a large hexagonal, dome-shaped form in the middle with a white blinking light on the top and on the side of the 'plate'. It was held up on black metallic, articulated "legs", like gigantic insect legs. "Like _you_ thought, Artie," he corrected. "As for myself, I thought it was something else entirely… I thought it could be a real flying machine from space." He grinned. "And I was right. That's why we came here, following the blue light, to investigate. It's so exciting! So thrilling!" He exulted.

Standing behind the trunk of a tree, the older man shook his head. "You came here and I followed, and I don't find this exciting and thrilling, as you do, but scary!" He specified. "You're a magnet for trouble, Jim. I couldn't let you come here without me to help you in case something happened – and I'm sure that something will happen now, because I have just jinxed us by saying that." He gestured toward the extraterrestrial machine. "It's a real flying pie plate, Jim – not a phony one, this time. It could be very, very dangerous."

Jim chuckled. "Because the other one wasn't dangerous perhaps? It exploded and left a crater the size of a house in the countryside, remember."

Furrowing his brow Artie sighed. "You know what I mean. That flying pie plate could be loaded with weaponry we can't even imagine and we could be killed!"

Jim nodded. "I think that we should stop calling such a wondrous machine that: flying pie plate! It's such a ridiculous name, don't you think?"

Artemus rolled his eyes. "Okay. As it looks more like a saucer than a pie plate I suggest 'flying saucer'. What do you think?" It was a joke.

Glancing at Artie, Jim smiled. "It's still a ridiculous name, but it has a nice ring to it. I like it. You named one thing, it's my turn next. I'm wondering why that flying saucer came here. Maybe it has some technical problems, or maybe it's a first contact, they want to meet humans …"

Artie blanched. "Before an invasion of Earth! They're maybe scouts!"

Jim spotted a long pipe coming out from one 'leg' of the flying saucer. It was running along the thick grass to end a little further on in a pond. "They're pumping water… They came here to refill with water! I wonder why they need water…"

Looking gloomy Artie deadpanned, "Probably to boil their prisoners before eating them." Then he blanched realizing it could happen. His vivid imagination kicked in and he started imagining horrible ways to die, such as being cut into pieces before being boiled or… "They could do a vivisection on us. Oh dear God!" he breathed, horrified.

Jim put his spyglass back in the inner pocket of his jacket and said, "They will probably start with you as you are more 'fleshy' than me…" Earning a black look from his best friend he chuckled. "Just joking. Come on, Artie; let's have a closer look at this flying saucer. With a little luck we'll see the crew, maybe lovely girls from outer space…"

Shaking his head Artemus just said, "No." He crossed his arms on his chest. "Let's go back to the train before something very bad happens – like you and I being killed by the creatures piloting that machine. They could be monsters, you know, human eaters…"

Patting his partner's arm reassuringly Jim said, "Nothing's going to happen, Artie. Come on buddy. What happened to your scientific curiosity?"

Mopping sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve Artemus said, "It stayed safely in the lab – where I should be right now."

Grabbing Artie's arm Jim stood up, "Let's go!"

Zigzagging from a bush to a tree, from a tree to a big rock, from a big rock to a boulder, they moved closer to the flying saucer. Un-holstering his Colt Jim, curiosity-driven, forgot any caution and headed toward one of the 'insect-like' legs of the huge machine.

Muttering under his breath, Artie grabbed his gun too. "Damnit Jim! You're impossible!" he whispered. He was on his way to join his adventurous and reckless partner when he froze on the spot – seeing an oval opening materialize on the hull where nothing was visible before. He blinked as he was blinded by a powerful white light emanating from inside the vehicle.

Squinting, he saw a human-shaped form moving down a ramp that had appeared just as mysteriously as the opening. He noticed a movement and something resembling a gun… and immediately reacted, aiming at the dark silhouette heading in his direction. He was suddenly hit by a green beam of energy, square in his chest and collapsed, with a grunt, to the ground, grimacing in pain. He tried to move, but discovered that he was completely paralyzed. He couldn't even speak. He started to panic. He heard, "Artie!" coming from a worried Jim. 'It's too dangerous! Stay where you are Jim!' he thought. But it was no use. His throat felt closed up and no sound came out. He couldn't even groan in frustration.

James immediately rushed toward his fallen best friend to help him and shot at a… at a beautiful bright-red-haired and pale-green-skinned woman, with cat-like ears, wearing a golden tight-fitting suit and an orange gun belt. He stopped dead in his tracks, totally stunned – and totally smitten. She was smiling, her left hand rose, level with her breasts – the bullet floating in the air, suspended an inch away from her palm.

He blinked twice. "What?"

She held a kind of gun in her other hand, he finally noticed. But too late. She fired. Jim too was hit by a green beam of energy coming from the woman's gun; which he immediately named ray-gun, before crumpling to the ground in his turn, beside his partner, wincing. He tried to move, but couldn't. He tried to say 'Ow!' but nothing came out from his throat. Even his vocal cords were immobilized.

Moving toward Artemus, the green alien woman ignored Jim, only interested by the green Artie, lying on the grass, spread-eagled, defenseless. She surveyed his body with visible appreciation, then straddled his hips. Artie was suddenly very relieved to be paralyzed… everywhere. She tilted her head, and observed Artie's green face with curiosity, running a hand over his chest. She touched his face with unnaturally warm hands, and stroked the wavy dark hair away from the human's brow. "Nice color. If you were an Altaran male, I would kidnap you here and now and I would add you to my vre'ed'anj and make my favorite of you. But having non-Altaran males as sex-slaves is forbidden by the law, that's too bad, you would have been perfect." She said. She leaned toward him and Artie could see that she had beautiful too-green sparkling eyes. Panic was replaced by intense curiosity and pleasure. She kissed his lips, and then traced them with a fingertip. "You're a very handsome male… you shouldn't wear so many clothes… and let people see how perfect you are, but it doesn't matter, I can see through them…" She licked her darker green lips, purring loudly. "Mrrrmmm…"

She let out a soft laugh, licked Artie's nose playfully, stood and headed back to her ship.

Shortly after, the pipe retracted inside one of the 'legs,' and the flying saucer took off. It rose rapidly into the night sky, where it hovered for a moment and suddenly accelerated at an incredible speed, to vanish a split second later.

The two men regained control of their bodies at the same time, half an hour later, feeling pins and needles everywhere. Jim helped Artie to move into a sitting position and patted his shoulder. "I told you that you look good in green buddy." Then he chuckled.

Jim finally stood up and Artemus copied him. "I think so…," Artie said. "Did you see that? She had cat-like ears! Did she have a tail too? And she purred! Really purred." Rubbing his chest, where the ray of paralyzing light had hit him, Artemus nodded. "A sex slave. Me? I'm torn between pride and fear." He frowned, his brain boiling with questions. "Altaran? Where is it? She was speaking English, how is it possible? She's not from Earth. But maybe she came here before as a scout. What was that gun? What kind of energy does it use? How is it possible that…?" He stopped, blinking twice, finally realizing something. "She could see through my clothes?" He blushed crimson. "Then she saw me naked? But how? How is it possible to see through someone's clothes? And…"

Smiling Jim rolled his eyes. Artemus had started babbling. He would theorize for hours, if not days. The walk back to the Wanderer would be long. Very long, he mused.

WWW

Reality:

James slid off the strange-looking 'biobed' that was actually a piece of very sophisticated medical equipment, touching bare feet to the cold floor and took his best friend's relaxed hand in his. "We'll get back home Artie…" Then glancing around him, he added, "But first I need to find the water closet."

He froze noticing only now the low and constant humming of the _Enterprise_ 's engines… almost covered by the quiet sensor beeps above Artemus's biobed, and by the light snores of the other man who had just shifted onto his back.

He headed toward the door of the Recovery Ward plunged in a dim light (artificial night) and entered the next room (the examination area).

He found Christine Chapel there, lit by a lamp, the only source of light in the sickbay. She was sitting at a desk (nurse's station) reading something on a box, a 'monitor'. "Hi!" he said with a smile.

Christine stood, frowning in alarm. "Something wrong, Mr. West?"

Moving forward, James shook his head. "No, I'm fine and Artemus is sleeping but is having a bad dream I think. No, I just need you to tell me where the water closet is, please."

She smiled, relieved. "Follow me, please," she said and led James to a single door. "It's the bathroom. It has a toilet, but there's a sink and shower with real water too." She chuckled. "Dr. McCoy hates sonic showers, so he had it replaced with a 'real' one. You will find toiletries inside and towels, in the cupboard."

Jim grinned. "Thank you, Christine."

Christine blushed finding James West very attractive. "If you need me, I'll be at my work station…" and then she left.

WWW

 _Later_

Half an hour later James regained his bed, feeling a lot better. His bladder was empty, he was showered and stubble-less.

He found Artie awake, hands crossed on his chest, half-sitting, half-lying on the medical bed. "Hi Artie, how do you feel buddy?"

Smiling Artie murmured, "I'm fine. I just dreamt about our meeting with that green woman from space… Speaking of woman, I heard you talking to a female a moment ago."

Fluffing his pillow Jim nodded. "Yes, she's Christine Chapel, she's a nurse. You haven't met her yet. She's very kind and gentle."

Artie chuckled. "Oh, and she's pretty, I'm sure. I hope to meet her soon. I love nurses…"

James nodded. "I know that. I sometimes wonder if you don't purposely end up in the hospital at the end of almost all our assignments so that the nurses can pamper you… giving you the occasion to flirt with them – all, at the same time."

Moving his hand to his heart, Artie whispered, "Me?"

Running a finger across his now smooth jawline and in his fluffy hair, James added, "There's a fantastic bathroom over there, Artie. It makes ours in the Wanderer look… antique."

Hurt, Artemus said, "Antique? I built it, and for our time period, it"s a must. You can't find anything like it – anywhere else, even in the White House. Don't compare it with a bathroom of the 23rd century, Jim."

Feeling bad, James said, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to offend you, Artie. Your bathroom is remarkable… very ahead of its time. Speaking of time… I spent five minutes just working out how to use the shaver. It's a very strange device… There's no blade, just a blue light and it removed all my hairs. There's another fantastic device I would call a hair-dryer. My hair was dried in two seconds, top."

Lifting a weak hand Artie brushed his unshaven cheeks. "I'll see to that later." He paused and asked, "Do you think they're gonna keep us here?"

Even through the dim light, Jim could see that his best friend's face was strained with worry. "Keep us here? You mean like prisoners? Why they would do that? They seem to be good people. They saved us, Artie. Without them you and I would be frozen to death right now, on that remote planet…"

Moving onto his side, Artie faced Jim. "They saved us, yes, but they didn't know who we were. Now they know we are from the 19th century, they will want to keep us here to prevent us from telling what we about what we've seen and heard here and thus change the future, disrupt the timeline…"

Frowning Jim said, "I see what you mean, but I already told the Captain that, once back, we won't say anything about what happened here."

Shaking his head, Artie said, "They won't take that risk… that's why Kirk posted armed guards in the corridor. I saw two of them check on me before you came back… Then, they took their post outside the sickbay. We won't get back home, Jim. Never. Kirk is going to keep us here, I mean in this time period, not necessarily on board this ship."

Sitting on his biobed, still whispering, Jim replied, "He just wants us not to wander around his ship… I can understand that. We could be hurt somehow… We don't know anything about this ship of his. We could end up in space by opening a wrong door…"

Sitting on his biobed in his turn Artie said, "There are armed guards in the corridor Jim. Armed. If Kirk wants us to stay here for our protection, why order his men to have guns? Unarmed guards would suffice to tell us to stay inside sickbay for our safety… No. I maintain my belief. They're going to keep us here, in this century and probably put us in solitary confinement somewhere and even separate us…" his face darkened. "They could kill us too. That is the easiest way to get rid of us."

Deeply alarmed, Jim still hesitated. "They look like good people… "

His gaze steady and resolute Artie said, "I'm right. We're prisoners, and we have to find a way to escape from this ship and go back home."

Now fully agreeing with his partner's opinion, Jim said, "You're right. We have to get off of this ship, and find an Altaran woman like the one we met after you were turned green. Spock told me they possess ships that have… a time-travel core drive that permits them to travel through space and time."

Furrowing his brow, Artie looked around him to be sure they were alone in the room, and leaning toward Jim he murmured, "You want to take the ship? How? We don't know how big she is, where the bridge is and we don't have any guns."

Sure of himself, Jim murmured, "But the guards have guns, and they will lead us to the bridge – against their will, of course. Then, once on the bridge, we'll take the crew there hostage and we'll force them to find Altarans ships for us."

Rubbing his stubbled chin nervously, Artie said, "You know there's a simpler solution to the problem of going back home… I just have to die."

Upset, James shook his head. "No, not this time. When I see you dying, a part of me dies too. It's awful… I can literally feel a part of my heart break and die. I can't stand seeing you die anymore." Feeling tears welling to his eyes, he let out a strangled sob. "Don't die again… please."

Moving toward James, Artie wrapped his arms around him and held him in a bear hug. "I'll do my best, and I promise you I won't kill myself."

Feeling reassured, Jim touched his forehead with Artie's, "Thank you…" He parted and said, "Are you ready to take this ship?"

Grinning, Artemus nodded. "Whenever you are, Jim. But first we have to get rid of that girlfriend of yours, Christine."

James chuckled. "No problem. Do you remember how I rendered Miss Sheila 'Vixen' Shaugnessy unconscious, using pressure points?" He saw Artie smile, cleared his throat and called, "Christine! My friend is feeling bad, it's his heart…"

Chuckling softly Artie lay down on his biobed and grasped his chest, grimacing in pain, writhing on the mattress, panting.

Soon after that, Christine entered the Recovery Ward. "What is it?" She asked, running toward Artemus who was moaning in pain.

She looked at the monitor and frowned, puzzled. The readouts indicated that Artemus was okay. "Why…?" She said – but never finished her sentence.

Moving behind her, James had applied pressure near the base of the nurse's neck, at the shoulder, and she had instantly lost consciousness.

Catching Christine in his arms, Artie gently placed her on his biobed. "Good work, Jim. You've really mastered that martial art technique." He took Christine's hand in his. "I'm sorry." He smiled. "I was right, she's pretty… and I love her short uniform… and high boots."

Smiling Jim said, "You can flirt later, back home. Let's go."

Approaching the door, he said, "Do your best to attract them inside…" Then he flattened against the bulkhead on the right side of the double door.

Placing his hand on his chest, Artie faked having a heart attack coming again and moved toward the door which swooshed open.

Immediately the two guards turned around, hands on top of their phasers. Artemus sank to his knees, grimacing, breathing out, "Help… me!"

Entering the sickbay together, they didn't see Jim and didn't have time to react when he punched the guard closest to him on his temple, knocking him out.

In a flash, Artemus grabbed the guard's 'gun' and pointed it upward toward his partner whom James disarmed in a split second.

Finding a scroll wheel on the side of the weapon, Jim turned it on the right… and read fear in the guard's eyes. "I bet this setting is deadly," he said.

The 'red shirt' nodded. "It's set on kill."

Placing the phaser against the 'red shirt', Jim said, "Good! One must always follow one's instinct. Lead us to the bridge, or I'll kill you where you stand."

Tbc.


	4. Act Three

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

WWW

 **ACT THREE**

 _Later, on the bridge_

The turbolift doors opened onto the bridge and James and Artemus stepped off with caution, framing their hostage, Jim pointing the phaser at his head.

Taking a step forward, Artie said, "No one move!"

Spock, sat in the captain's chair, immediately stood up and whirled around.

To say that the Vulcan was very surprised to see the two special agents from the 19th century , walking from the turbolift – onto the bridge, with a hostage, phasers pointed at his head - was an understatement.

But he just twitched an eyebrow.

Pushing the guard to one side Jim aimed his 'gun' at the Vulcan and like Artemus he was instantly mesmerized by the distortion of the stars on the viewscreen.

Eyes opened wide, Artie let out, "Oh my… being told you're on board a spaceship is one thing… but seeing actual stars that close, being in space is another …"

Suddenly a kind of alarm started ringing and James nodded. "They've found Christine and the other guard," he said and saw Spock's dark eyes glint with concern although he kept a stoic face. "Don't worry. They're fine, just unconscious. We kill people only when it is necessary. We're not barbarians." Then, he moved forward, glancing around the bridge before looking at the First Officer again. "We want you to lead us to the Altarans. They will help us to go back home."

Fascinated by all the wonders around him, Artie nodded distractedly. "Yes, we don't want to be put in solitary confinement somewhere until we die… or we're killed."

Spock raised a quizzical eyebrow and tilted his head. "Why would we do that?"

Looking at Spock Artie replied, "To prevent any risk of us telling how we 'lived' here to the people around us after our return, to prevent the future from being changed."

Moving toward what he thought was the Captain's chair, James added, "Now let's point the Enterprise in the right direction, Mr. Spock. I'm sure that with all the powerful devices you have here at your disposal, you can find an Altaran mothership"

Spock shook his head. "I can't do that."

Determined, James said, "I'm sure you can. Perhaps you need a little incentive to comply…" He turned the scroll wheel of the phaser to the right. "Let's see how this weapon works…" He fired at the Captain's chair completely disintegrating it in an instant.

Both James and Artie were so stunned to see it they didn't notice or hear the turbolift doors opening… and it was too late for them to react when they did.

Kirk, his own phaser set on stun, fired at the two Secret Service agents – then watched them collapse to the floor, unconscious.

He disarmed West, looked up at Spock and asked, "What the hell happened here?"

WWW

 _Much later in the brig_

Hearing voices, James slowly woke up and immediately grimaced, assailed by a pounding headache. He moaned and rubbed his aching temples. "Ow…"

He pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing and glared up at Kirk and Spock standing in front of him on the other side of what looked like a cell. But there were no bars, just a series of bright white lights around the opening.

Seeing that the agent was observing them, Spock explained, "There is an electrostatic force field preventing you leaving the cell. Touching it is very painful."

Eyes flashing with anger, James glared at Kirk and asked him, "Why didn't you kill me? You would have been rid of us and at the same time all of your problems ..." He suddenly realized that he was alone in the cell and blanched in deep worry. "Where's Artemus? What did you do to him?"

Kirk took a step forward. "He woke up before you, with a pain in his chest. He's in sickbay. Dr. McCoy wanted to run medical tests on him, because of his recent heart failures."

Moving close to the 'forcefield' James said, "I want to see him."

Kirk imitated the other man. "You're in no position to ask anything, Mr. West. You attacked three of my people and threatened my First Officer. You disintegrated my chair! Don't worry, Mr. Gordon will join you shortly, after Bones is satisfied he is fine and you will both stay here, in the brig, until I can find a suitable solution to the problems caused by your arrival on board the Enterprise."

Spock joined his Captain. "But I can assure you that it is not our intention to put you and your friend in in solitary confinement somewhere until you die, or kill you."

Nose to nose, only separated by the forcefield, the two Jameses locked their eyes on each other's and engaged in a battle of wills.

James narrowed his eyes in suspicion, "I don't believe it, you lie," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "If you have hurt Artie, Kirk… I swear that I'll make you pay, dearly." He had his fists closed so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Kirk almost sniggered, condescendingly. "I'd like to see that… you're no match to me."

"Try me," James gritted out between clenched teeth, glaring at the Captain, his eyes no longer green, but stormy gray with defiance.

If the forcefield was not activated, Spock was sure that the two Jims would start a fight, beating each other into a bloody pulp, like James liked to say. The tension and electricity between the two men was so strong that it was almost palpable. "You have my promise," he added solemnly.

Looking at Spock, James relaxed, Spock's eyes black eyes reflecting his honesty. "I believe you. Now I want to see my friend," he asked.

At that, the door of the brig opened and Artie entered, framed between Dr. McCoy and an armed guard. "I'm okay," he told Jim seeing that his partner was concerned.

Kirk took the security man's phaser and commanded, "Move back, against the bunk, and watching West comply, he deactivated the forcefield. "After you, Mr. Gordon."

Once the two agents were inside the cell, he re-activated the forcefield. He gave the phaser back to the guard and ordered, "Don't lose sight of them."

The red shirt nodded, "Yes Sir."

Immediately Jim put his arms around his friend and held him close. "Are you okay Artie?"

His face haggard and his eyes dull, lacking their usual twinkling chocolate, Artie nodded and leaned into the embrace and rested his head on James's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm okay, I'm tired and I just need to rest." and he squeezed his partner's hand in reassurance.

Then, James led Artie to the bunk. "Here, Artie." and Artemus sat down on the bunk, as his shaky legs couldn't hold him up any longer.

Then James glared at Kirk – who shot him back the same look - before pulling his gold tunic down in a authoritative, dominating gesture and leaving the brig.

Spock followed with McCoy in tow.

Bones joined Jim in the corridor and turned his gaze on his best friend. "I sensed a bit of tension between West and you, Jim… "

Kirk stopped abruptly in front of a door, eyes flashing with anger. "You know what happened Bones… I'm not going to forgive them for what they did."

Bones sighed as he rocked slightly on his feet. "I know what happened, but be a little comprehending Jim. Put yourself in their place for a moment and you will understand why they are afraid and reacted that way. You forget they come from the 19th century!"

Spock nodded. "Dr. McCoy is right, Captain rather than antagonizing them, we should be friendly with them in order to make them feel safe."

Bones looked at Spock, smiling. "For once, I agree with Spock. Like he said…" and earned a surprised look from Kirk. "Once, there will be no second time."

Massaging his temples tiredly Jim nodded. "You're right… but they have to be taught a lesson. Attack us and you will end up in the brig! And spending the night in a cell will do them the greatest good." He yawned and added, "What did you find out about them, Spock?"

Spock shook his head. "Nothing, Captain. The archives of the 19th and 20th century Government agents were destroyed in a fire in 2108."

Kirk sighed. "That's too bad." I would have liked to know everything about them." He yawned again and rubbed his eyes. "I'm going back to bed. Spock, you have the con."

Spock nodded, "Aye, Captain."

Bones said, "About befriending our guests, what about inviting them to join us in the mess hall for breakfast? Eating together would be a good start."

WWW

 _In the brig_

Sitting on the cold deck, Jim looked at Artie lying on the sole bunk in the cell, in a fetal position, brow creased in concern, for the third time he asked, "Are you okay?"

Nodding, Artie responded, "YES, I am. Stop your motherin', Jim. I'm fine." Seeing that Jim was a bit hurt, he sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be disagreeable. I know that you're worried about me." He smiled reassuringly. "It was nothing, just a small pain in my chest." He placed his left hand on his heart. "I'm going to be okay. Dr. McCoy would have kept me in the infirmary otherwise…" He scratched his itchy stubbled jaws and continued, "Speaking of McCoy, he told me he lost me three times before bringing me back. I died, briefly, three times. Only once would have been enough to take us home… but we're still here…"

Jim nodded. "You're right. Why?"

Closing his eyes, exhausted, Artie responded, "I wondered why, and I found an answer: for my theory to work, you have to be by my side. You were at my side the first two times when I died and we returned to our starting point… but you weren't there when my heart stopped three times…"

Standing, Jim headed toward the energy forcefield, only signaling it was active by the lights along the opening of the cell.

He looked at Artie, looking pale, disheveled and fragile and shivered. "I didn't know what happened to you McCoy didn't tell me… Are you sure you're okay? You look like a ghost."

Artie just smiled.

Jim let out a breath of frustration, came back to Artemus's side and sat on the edge of the bunk. "I hate being locked in a cell. I can usually escape with the aid of one of your gadgets… but I can't do that here."

Drifting off to sleep, Artie whispered, "No… no bars, no breakaway… blow-torch… Nigh't J'm." Then his body sagged into unconsciousness.

Pressing two fingers against Artie's throat, Jim felt for the older man's pulse. Feeling it to be normal, he sighed in relief. "Sleep well buddy." He reached for Artie's' hand, wrapping his own around the lax fingers. "everything is going to be alright."

He had closed his eyes too, fatigued, needing to sleep when he heard the door open and watched Spock head their way.

He looked up at the Vulcan. "What do you want Mr. Spock?" he asked, a bit aggressively. "Artie and I would like to sleep."

Spock was unfazed. "I'm here to tell you that the long range sensors have detected a ship, an Altaran mothership orbiting Gajed-IV."

Eyes glittering with hope, Jim shook Artemus's arm eliciting a bear-like groan from his partner. "Wake up buddy, Mr. Spock just brought us good news."

WWW

 _Later_

The two agents, escorted by two armed guards and followed by Dr. McCoy entered the bridge and stared at the viewscreen, amazed. It was showing a red planet.

James Kirk left his brand new captain's chair and looked at James and Artemus. "We have reached Gajed-IV," he said. "The ship you can see is an Altaran mothership. It was pure luck we found one. But they haven't answered any of our communications."

Stepping forward Artie said, "Luck has nothing to do with this Captain…" Seeing the big, black ship, he felt a shiver run along his spine.

He knew deep within himself that he would die on board the Altaran ship – somehow, and painfully, he always died that way. He was no longer afraid of dying because dying meant going back home – at least when Colonel Vautrain was involved, he thought. He glanced at James who was staring at the ship, grinning, eyes filled with hope, and didn't say a word about his premonition. He did not want him to suffer ... right away. He would suffer soon enough unfortunately. He sighed. "Let me try."

Kirk nodded and looked at Uhura who pressed a button and said, "Channel open."

Clearing his throat, Artie glanced at James, then at the viewscreen and said, "Altaran ship, This is Artemus Gordon. My friend and I are from the 19th century Earth. We have been transported to this century against our will by a man using a special mind power. We know that your ships can travel through space and time. We'd like your help to go back home, to our own century you're our only hope." He paused – waiting for a response from the Altarans but there was none. He added, "I met someone of your err… species once. She landed with her flying sauc… spaceship on Earth. The pilot was refilling with water from a pond…"

Suddenly Uhura said, "They want to communicate, Captain. It's a visual transmission."

Kirk nodded. "On screen, Lieutenant." Shortly afterward the image of an Altaran woman appeared on the large viewscreen.

Both James and Artie gasped in surprise.

Pointing at the large image, Artemus said, "It's you!" recognizing the beautiful woman with the bright-redhair, pale-greenskin, and cat-like ears, wearing a golden tight-fitting suit.

On the screen, the Altaran woman nodded, "Yes, it's me. It's a pleasure to see you again, ArtemusGordon. But the last time we met, you were green."

Spock raised an eyebrow and Kirk frowned. James said, "Long story." Then he bowed his head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to see you too…"

She bowed her head in return and said, "It would be a pleasure to take you back to your world and to your time period… We could get to know each other better ArtemusGordon…" Then she chuckled softly when she saw Artie blush up to his ears. "Nice color…"

Left out, rolling his eyes, a bit jealous, James said, "The quicker, the better." He turned toward Kirk. "Could you transport us on board that ship, Captain?"

Kirk took a step forward. "I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation starship _Enterprise_. Would you like to come on board, so that we could get to know each other better?"

Suddenly the image zoomed out and the Altaran appeared, sitting on a high golden chair, resembling a throne, placed in the middle of an immense bridge, round in shape. About fifty people were sitting at their respective stations all around her. "I'm Commander Katakl, of the mothership Tukklak-Meek." She shook her head. "I have to decline your offer, Captain Kirk. Altaran people avoid other species to keep our civilization free from foreign influence. I'll make an exceptional exception for ArtemusGordon and his friend."

Spock observed their technology which appeared to be more advanced than that of the _Enterprise,_ the bridge of which looked small and _obsolete in comparison._

Kirk was very disappointed. "I respect your choice, Commander Katakl."

Katakl smiled. "Don't worry, Captain Kirk. I will deliver ArtemusGordon and his friend safely home." She nodded to a woman sitting on her left, gave an order in her language and… Both Artemus and James dematerialized – to materialize a couple of seconds later at her side.

Katakl who could see through clothes, eyed Artie hungrilywith green sparkling eyes, purring softly, like a cat, then she looked at Kirk on the viewscreen. "Farewell, Captain."

Uhura said, "Visual communication interrupted," then she frowned, worried. "Do you think they're going to be safe on board that ship, Captain?"

Kirk sighed. "I hope so, Lieutenant," he responded, watching the big Altaran mothership leaving the orbit of Gajed-IV.

Spock was convinced to the contrary. "Maybe we should follow them, Captain. I have the feeling that Artemus and James will face some problems."

Surprised, Kirk lifted an eyebrow. "Vulcan intuition, Mr. Spock?"

Leonard McCoy joined his friends and said, "I have the same sensation… Spock is right. We have to follow that ship, Jim, to rescue them."

Kirk nodded. "Mr. Chekov, set course. Follow that ship! Warp two." Then he frowned. "And how am I going to rescue them, doctor?"

Bones replied, "I'm a doctor, not a ship's captain. That's your job, not mine."

WWW

 _On board the Tukklak-Meek_

Katakl left her throne-like Commander's chair and ran a finger over Artie's chest, ignoring James completely. She purred again seeing through his clothes, appreciating his anatomy and commanded, "Sub-Commander Nadaat, take the humans to Dr. Nevreet. Once they have been examined by the doctor, you will bring ArtemusGordon to my quarters.

The female First Officer approached. "Yes Commander. What about the other human?"

Katakl looked at Jim from head to toe, totally indifferent to the other human's charm and using a disdainful tone, she replied. "Find him some quarters."

Keeping his cool, but frowning, upset, Jim said, "I'd like to stay with my friend…"

Katakl frowned angrily, her green eyes darkening. "Males don't have the right to speak until I say they can, and they don't have the right to ask anything on board this ship– you included, human _male_. I command, they obey, you obey, is that understood?"

Raising his hand to ask permission to speak, Artie waited for Katakl's nod to say, "It's going to be alright, Jim. Don't worry about me. I'll be safe."

But Jim wasn't convinced and his sixth sense was telling him that something wrong was taking shape. He didn't know what exactly – but he had no other choice but to comply. "Alright…" he said. Then, like Artie he followed Sub-Commander Nadaat from the vast bridge.

Katakl contacted sickbay. "Dr. Nevreet, I'm sending two human males to you. I want you to carry out complete medical exams and I want them to be perfectly healthy – and perfect."

WWW

 _Later in sickbay_

Katakl read Dr. Nevreet's report, then looked at Artemus sitting on a bench beside his friend, leaning heavily against him. He looked weary and there were dark rings like bruises underneath his eyes. He looked dead on his feet.

Nevreet said, "Like I put in my report, they're – now - in good health and are perfect, Commander. The human body is very simple compared to ours. It was very easy to make the traces left by old and recent fractures disappear and I even erased their younger one had his appendix removed and I recreated one for him, so he's now complete and perfect. The older one had minor problems with his heart, I corrected them and it's now functioning perfectly… "

Katakl nodded. "I want him."

Nevreet heard her superior let out a low purr and added, "With all due respect, Commander, May I remind you that it is forbidden to have intimate relationships with a non-Altaran male."

Katakl nodded. "I know that…" She placed the medical report back in the doctor's hands and said, "Then make it possible, Doctor."

Nevreet blinked twice in surprise. "You want me to transform the older human into an Altaran?"

Katakl nodded. "You have done it before. You transformed other males from different species, Doctor, when there was a shortage of potential sex-slaves on board."

The Chief Medical Officer nodded. "Fortunately you stopped killing your sex-slaves after the first night of lovemaking."

Katakl nodded, "I quickly get tired of my partners."

Nevreet added, "I could do it yes, but it's not going to be simple… and the human won't agree."

Katakl smiled. "The others didn't agree either. Don't tell him." Her smile vanished and she commanded, "Do it, that's an order Dr. Nevreet, and do it as soon as possible… I want him and I will have him. He's not perfect, Nevreet, _you will make_ him perfect."

Nevreet nodded. "I can be ready for the operation in one cycle. It will take several cycles to have him transformed, Commander."

Katakl nodded. "Can you grow his hair? I love my males with long hair… and I want all his body hair removed, permanenty too." She saw Nevreet nod and then she added, "Good! Good. Keep me informed of your progress and let me know when he's ready. Oh! And before leading him to my quarters, give him an injection of G'ahj, I want him submissive and compliant."

Nevreet nodded. "Of course and it will ensure he doesn't react badly to his transformation too. But I don't know how long it will take the drug to act on his biological system. It has never been used on a human. And I don't know if he will react to it at all, Commander."

The Commander nodded. "If you have to double or triple the dose, do it, Doctor. Then, tomorrow, you will prepare him for the Jas'k. You will erase his memory and replace it with one stored in the main computer. I will choose it later. Maybe the memory of my first sex-slave you recorded before he died… He was such an imaginative lover…"

Nevreet nodded. "Good idea. We'll just have change his name."

She let her eyes roam over Artie's body – naked to her gaze – one last time and said, "Have the other human sedated. Nadaat will have him transported to one of the guest quarters." Then she left the sickbay feeling excited at adding a new male to her vre'ed'anj (harem).

WWW

 _Later_

Once Nadaat had escorted the Commander out of the sickbay, one nurse made an injection of a powerful sedative into Artie's neck, taking him by surprise.

He stood, raising his fist in a defensive gesture, but a few seconds later his vision blurred and feeling extra weak, he sank to his knees. "J'm, h'lp," he breathed out.

He collapsed to the side, his consciousness fading slowly to black.

Before Jim could react, he felt a hiss between his shoulder blades followed by a sting.

He whirled around to see another nurse, dressed like the other one in a green uniform – and holding some kind of syringe in her hand.

He stood, raised a menacing fist while looking down at Artemus, now unconscious and felt his legs turn into something like soggy cotton and his eyes slid close.

He crumpled to the floor like a dropped puppet, unconscious.

Dr. Nevreet pointed at the older human and commanded, "Bring him to the operating room," and watched two nurses place him on an anti-grav gurney. "Prepare him for surgery."

WWW

 _Much later_

Katakl returned to the sickbay hours later and headed right toward the 'operating room'. She joined Dr. Nevreet beside the operating table.

She stared at the naked human – hairless - lying on it, strapped onto it.

He was unconscious… and red blood mixed with strands of green blood was pouring out of his still white-skinned body from multiples lacerations and puncture holes.

Poles holding bags filled with a green liquid surrounded him. Several IV's pierced his white skin, replacing his own blood with Altaran's.

He was unconscious as computer-controlled mechanical 'arms' provided with surgical instruments had started to transform him.

Nevreet looked at the Commander and said, "He's not ready yet. You came too early, Commander. He's only in the first stages of his transformation."

Katakl nodded. "I can see that… But I'm so impatient and excited to see him transformed that I couldn't stay on the bridge. How long before he's ready?"

Nevreet glanced at the readouts on the screen of the control panel. "Six cycles, maybe. Humans have so many organs to remove… it's a very delicate procedure. Fortunately the surgery is automated. I already removed his small heart to replace it with an Altaran one, which is much bigger. I removed his two lungs too, one after the other, to replace them with the sole one, the same as ours …" He pointed at another container, smaller filled with a thick yellow liquid. Inside there were shapeless masses. "His other new organs are growing. They should be ready for transplantation in three cycles."

Katakl nodded. "Very good." She ran a fingertip along Artie's hairless leg and moving it to his belly, stopped it beside his navel. "Remove that thing too, it's ugly."

Nevreet nodded. "I was going to do it anyway, Commander. Altaran males don't have any trace left of their umbilical cord. And I will remove the tattoo he has on his back too.

Katakl smiled and pressed her palm against Artie's thigh, feeling the warm strong muscle through the soft, pale skin, in a possessive gesture. "He's going to be perfect, and _mine_."

She gave Artie a predatory smile.

Tbc.


	5. Act Four

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

WWW

 **ACT FOUR**

 _Much later, in Katakl's quarters_

It was 10 cycles later that Katakl found the new Altaran male sitting on her bed. He was blinking slowly, heavily drugged. He was wearing the short golden tunic of the males of her vre'ed'anj (harem) and looked confused and lost, but he was absolutely gorgeous.

Katakl purred immediately in satisfaction.

She grinned. "You're perfect," she said as she moved toward him, licking her lips in an unintentional gesture of pleasure. "I'm going to make my favorite of you…" She stopped in front of Altaran-Artemus and using a finger, she raised his chin, admiring his now dark green skin and his green sparkling eyes and then she ran her hand through his long, dark hair, falling to his shoulders. "Dr. Nevreet did remarkable work. I will reward her with a new sex-slave. You're perfect… What am I going to call you?..."

Raising a limp hand, his head swimming from the powerful drug running in his veins, Artie said, "I… I'm-I'm green."

Katakl smiled. "Yes you are, again and it's going to be permanent this time. You're not a human anymore, but a new member of my species, an Altaran male." She ran a fingertip along his strong jawline, "I know, I'm going to call you Kvak, it means 'new', it's appropriate."

His brain foggy, Artemus shook his head as if in slow motion and felt a shiver going down his spine, "No… my name's Artemus… Gordon, my name is…" He glanced again at his dark green-tinged hand. "What did you do… to me?"

Katakl sat beside 'Kvak' and took his hand in hers. "I asked Dr. Nevreet to transform you into an Altaran male, because I want you to be mine… I will add you to my vre'ed'anj soon, after Dr. Nevreet gives you a new memory. I'm interested in your body only, not in your mind."

Failing to clear his hazy and murky thoughts, Artie slurred, "'M'… human…"

Katakl shook her head. "Not anymore. I didn't forget you after we met. On Earth, in the past. Sometimes I dreamt about you… and the Four Gods be blessed, they sent you to me… I will sacrifice a jred (equivalent to a bull) to thank them." Grinning, she pushed him backward onto the big bed and straddled his legs, pulling up his tunic, revealing his loincloth and stomach, purring like a big contented cat. "The G'ahj should take effect soon… " She licked her lips then nibbled his throat with her slightly pointy teeth. "Mine…" then she ripped 'Kvak's tunic in two and roamed her hands over his hairless chest possessively. "So mine…" She purred like a cat brushing her fingers over his two new sets of nipples, now grouped in threes.

Distressed, Artie shook his head weakly, "No… not yours," he whispered, his eyes becoming more and more bleary.

Katakl licked her lips again. "Resistance is futile… no male has ever resisted me…" She kissed him and then pulled back.

She noticed that her new male's eyes were almost vacant. The drug was ready to make him obedient and submissive.

She kissed Kvak again… and this time Kvak parted his lips, allowing Katakl to deepen the kiss.

Katakl pulled back again grinning in victory. "The drug is now active… You will obey me, Kvak, comply with any of my desires… You're mine!"

Kvak nodded. "I'm yours," he said in an apathetic tone.

Seeing that her new sex slave was falling asleep, she shook him, "Wake up! I'm not finished with you, I barely started."

Suddenly the door chime resounded and Katakl groaned in displeasure and irritation. "Wait for me here, Kvak, don't move."

Kvak complied docilely. His eyes fluttered closed, and his head lolled to one side as he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

She placed her palm on the sensor pad on the right, unlocking the door and discovered Sub-Commander Nadaat in the corridor, standing at attention. "I'm really sorry to disturb you, Commander, but our long range sensors have detected the Federation Starship Enterprise. They are following us."

Katakl frowned angrily. "I don't want to be importuned by that Captain Kirk." She turned around and noticed that Kvak was sleeping. She'd have a word later with Dr. Nevreet, to reprimand her. She had given Kvak too high a dose of G'ahj making him incapable of doing anything. "Let's engage his miniscule ship… let's blow it up. It shouldn't take long. Then I will have pleasure with my new sex-slave." She joined her First Officer Nadaat into the corridor and the door wooshed closed behind her.

She was so irritated that she didn't lock it.

WWW

Feeling his sixth sense ringing alarm bells in his head, or more exactly a prickling starting between his shoulder blades, Jim instantly knew that Artemus was in danger and needed his help.

He moved toward the door and placed his hand on the oval shape illuminated by a red light on the bulkhead, to the right of the door. It turned green and the door slid to the side… revealing an empty corridor. There was no guard there.

He wasn't surprised, Katakl had not placed a guard in front of the door to prevent him from going out of his quarters because he had nowhere to go. He was on board a mothership, the size of Washington D.C. and in space, he couldn't escape.

But he could go in the Commander's quarters, where Artie was – in a dire situation. He just knew it. He followed a group of Altaran women who stopped and grouped around him, purring in pleasure as they could see his taunt, muscular body though his clothes.

One of them, propelled Jim against the bulkhead and said, "I didn't know that the Commander had granted access to a human on board…"

One of the others said, "to two humans, actually. He's the other one… and like the other one, he's not going to stay human for long, Danek. Soon Katakl will have him transformed into an Altaran male… so he can be a new sex slave."

Running a hand over Jim's chest, another woman said, "I heard that Dr. Nevreet has already transformed the other human into a male of our species…"

The blood left Jim's face as the horrible news sent a shiver down his spine and he felt his knees go weak. 'No, no, no! Artie!'

Chuckling, a third woman added, "Like the others before him, he'll end up in the Commander's bed… She's killed 27 of her sex-slaves in the two last mleks (months). She's never satisfied." She ran a hand through Jim's short hair and added, "Katakl loves her sex slaves with long hair… "

Pinning Jim against the bulkhead, Danek said, "I hope she'll give this soon-to- be- new sex-slave to me… as a reward. I'm the best security officer for the third time running. I beat all the others during the last hajkl-Yaak (wrestling competition). She told me she'd give me a new male … and I like this one…"

Deeply worried about Artie, Jim said, "Perhaps I could talk to her… I find you very… beautiful…" and yelped in pain when Danek wrapped her massive hand around his neck, crushing his throat, beginning to choke him, cutting his airway off almost completely.

Danek frowned in irritation and groaned. "Males don't speak unless there are told they can." She released Jim when his face turned from red to purple and added, "But it's a good idea. We are expected on the bridge, so we can't lead you to the Commander's quarters, but you will find them easily. Deck one, door number one at the end of the corridor. Take the lift to your right and tell the computer, deck one." She gave Jim a predatory smile and purred. "You'll be mine soon…" She pointed at a turbo-lift. "Go inside!"

His eyes red with raw anguish Jim ran.

WWW

 _Later_

Entering the Commander's quarters was easy as the door wasn't locked… and Jim padded to the only weakly- lit room located in the corridor.

He walked like a cat , looking around him, dreading finding himself face to face with Katakl who wouldn't be pleased to see him there, to say the least as it was evident she despised him. Only Artemus interested her, he mused.

But she wasn't there, hopefully, he finally realized and he sighed in relief.

He took a cautious look inside of the lit room – a vast bedroom – and spotted an Altaran man lying on a big bed, spead-eagled, his golden tunic torn, exposing the upper part of his dark-green body.

His eyes were closed.

Dreading finding Artie dead, he breathed out, "Oh, no, Artie!"

He made a bee-line to his best friend and sitting on the bed beside him gasped, appalled by Artemus's physical transformation.

He touched his partner's throat and felt a pulse, slow but steady.

He wasn't human anymore. And this time, not only his face was – definitively - green, but his whole body was, and he had cat-like ears, and long dark hair, and his insides had probably been changed too, starting with a single lung, as he could see the uninterrupted ribs showing.

He had no body hair. But what was the most disturbing thing were the two sets of three nipples in groups and the lack of his navel.

He gritted his teeth as he felt his stomach churn with nausea. "Oh dear God…" he breathed out, aghast. "that's horrible…" He lay his hand on Artie's face. "Artie… what they did to you?" Then he gently shook Artie's shoulder and the the 'new Altaran' male opened his eyes, slowly, then he blinked steadily, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Artie!"

He had just shaken Artie's shoulder again, less gently, when a loud siren resounded and he heard people running in the corridor, yelling things in the Altaran language.

He wondered what was happening.

Jim pulled Artie into a sitting position and Artie slumped against him. He grabbed his partner by his shoulders then, one hand pressed against his chest to keep him upright, he slapped Artemus's face, gently but firmly. "Wake up Artie! we have to find a way to leave this ship!"

Finally, after one minute or so, Artie opened his eyes, and he mumbled, "M'yours…" Then he realized that it was Jim he had in front of him, not Katakl. "J'm… help me."

Helping Artie to his feet, keeping him upright with an arm locked around his waist, supporting the older man's frame and weight, Jim said "I'm here for that buddy… Can you walk?"

Shaking his head, Artie said, "M'ore like wobbling… S'like m' drunk…" He glanced at his right hand. "M'green… why m' green?"

Embarrassed Jim said, "Let's talk about that later, okay? We have to get out of here… but I don't know how – yet. But I will."

The two men were heading toward the cabin door when it suddenly whooshed open and Katakl appeared.

She immediately ran toward a work table, opened a drawer and pulled out a gunbelt and a disruptor. She immediately pointed it at Jim. "I came back because I like to be armed during a battle with another ship… It was a good idea to come back. Move away from Kvak, human."

Frowning, upset Jim said, "My partner's name is Artemus Gordon, not Kvak."

Katakl chuckled. "He's an Altaran male now, I named him Kvak. Soon I will erase his mind – I'm not interested in it - to replace it with one stored in the main computer. Then, ArtemusGordon will disappear completely." She set her gun on kill, her lip curling in annoyance. "I should have killed you the second you materialized on the bridge…I knew you would only bring problems. I hate those." She moved her fingertip on the button releasing the energy beam… and a split second later the blinding white thin shaft of light hit Artemus who had pushed his partner out of harm's way and stepped into the line of fire, to protect him.

Feeling his chest being devoured by an intense and concentrated fire burning his skin to the bone and his bones melting as if they had been splashed by acid, Artie closed his eyes tight shut and he screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed in excruciating pain. It felt like his entire chest was on fire, like his flesh was being eaten away - which is what was happening.

Katakl cried out, "Noooo!" as her new sex-slave collapsed bonelessly to the floor, with a burning and smoking hole where is chest had been.

Kneeling beside Artie Jim took his best friend's hand, his head resting on his lap "Don't die…" He gritted his teeth so as not to vomit.

The scent of burned flesh and blood assailed his nostrils, making him sick to the stomach. He felt nausea welling up inside him.

But Artemus died.

Devastated, Jim closed his eyes and bowed his head.

Suddenly a mist coming out from nowhere appeared around the two agents and Katakl took a step back more surprised than afraid.

Taking Artemus's body in his arms, still fighting nausea, Jim said, "Let's go back home Artie…" and he and his dead partner, enveloped in fog, vanished.

Katakl let out a string of curses.

WWW

 _The Wanderer_

Lowering Artie's limp body to the sofa, human again, and dressed in his pajamas and robe, Jim glanced around him.

They were back on the Wanderer and Vautrain and his men were gone. Fortunately.

Hearing a duet of loud welcoming meows, he looked down and watched Marmalade and AG rub themselves against his calves and he smiled.

He took his cat in his arms, petting the young black cat, whereas Marmie was padding toward her unconscious owner.

She leaped on Artie's legs and, settling on top of his chest, pawed the human's face. "MEOW-MEOW-MEOW!" she let out.

No response from Artemus.

She rubbed her nose against Artie's chin in affection.

Moaning, Artemus slowly came around. He raised a weak hand and met Marmalade's furry head, and the cat butted it, purring. "M'trying to sleep Marmie…" and he finally opened his eyes, smothering a huge yawn and noticed that his hand was its usual color. "I'm not green anymore…" then he touched his left ear, finding it normal. "I'm me…" He glanced around him, a smile coming to his lips and looked up at Jim, holding a purring AG against his chest. "I died…" He suddenly remembered – vividly - how he died and grimaced. He could still smell burning flesh – his.. "I'll never forget that… level of pain. It was abominable, and that's an understatment." A wave of dizziness passed over him and he swallowed back the bile rising in his throat. He closed his eyes, buried his face in his trembling hands and let out a strangled sob.

Marmie gave a low meow, feeling her owner's distress. To soothe her, Artie brought her closer, revealing his face, pale and wet with tears. "I'm alright,"

he said. Placing AG on Artemus's legs, Jim pressed Artie's shoulder warmly, gratitude shining in his eyes. "It's over buddy, it's over. You saved my life on board that starship, Artie. Thank you," he said.

Using the back of his hand to dry his face and regaining some color, Artemus moved himself into a sitting position and said, "I couldn't let her kill you, Jim." He exhaled a long sigh and then ran his hand wearily down his face. "I'm beginning to hate those forced time travel voyages…" He glanced around him again and smiled. "I'm so pleased and relieved to be back home…" His stomach growled. "I'm hungry… God! It's like I haven't eaten in days…"

Instantly the two cats leaped to the carpeted floor and converged toward their empty plates, meowing hungrily in concert.

Jim chuckled. "They heard the magic word 'food'…" reaching out, he offered a hand to Artie. "Let's prepare a good breakfast, or lunch, or dinner because I don't know what time is it… even what day is it."

Standing, Artemus frowned. "Let's? You mean you're going to participate? You in my precious galley, messing it up? He rubbed the fatigue from his eyes and forehead. "Not on your life, but you can feed the cats with the meal I'm going to prepare for them, It won't harm them."

Hugging Artie, Jim said, "You're back."

WWW

 _Later, after dinner_

Dressed in comfortable clothes, including his burgundy smoking jacket, Jim poured himself a third cup of the delicious coffee Artie had made. Then he opened yet another newspaper, the San Francisco Herald. He had three days of news to catch up with.

Fortunately, the driver and the fireman taking care of the Wanderer were accustomed to take care of the cats too when they were gone, he thought.

Speaking of the cats, they were in the galley busy eating pan-roasted chicken thighs cut into small pieces and small pieces of vegetables that Artie had prepared for them with love.

Cats were gourmets.

He retrieved his cup of coffee and took a sip, watching Artie over the rim. Sitting on the other side of the table, in front of him, his hair still wet from his shower, Artemus was writing their latest 'adventures' in his leather-bound journal, as he did after every assignment . "You shouldn't do that, buddy. If your journal got into the wrong hands… it could change history, and the future."

Sipping a little of the strong coffee Artie shook his head. He lowered his cup to the table and replied, "Impossible, because I write everything in code. A code I invented and that no one else but me can decipher and read. I'm taking extra precautions."

Feeling a lot better Jim nodded. "I prefer that…" He glanced at the door of the parlor suite, running an anxious hand through his hair. "Do you think Vautrain is going to show up again?"

Frowning, Artie turned around to look at the door too. "Yes, I'm afraid so. He'll learn sooner or later that we're back, and he'll try to kill us again."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Jim put the newspaper down as Artie, in a flash, moved toward the couch and grabbed the gun he kept under the golden cushions.

He cocked the hammer and opened the door… revealing Captain James T. Kirk. Kirk grinned. "Hi! It's good to see you, Mr. Gordon." He pointed at the Colt. "Could you lower your gun, please?"

Flabbergasted, Artie complied and puzzled, he asked. "How did you manage to get here? I thought you couldn't travel through time?"

Spock appeared beside his captain. Like him he was wearing 19th century clothes and a hat – hiding his pointed ears. "Actually, that's incorrect, Mr. Gordon. We can, using a very ancient device called the Guardian of Eternity, but if we use it to explore the past, or the future, we are unable to leave people behind."

Moving to join Artemus Jim said, "That's why you didn't use it to bring us back. It wouldn't have left us here, even if we belong here – and you found us, because I told you it was the 21st of July 1875 when Artie and I 'left Earth' for space… and that we had a train in San Francisco's railroad yard."

Spock nodded. "Exactly, Mr. West."

McCoy climbed onto the rear platform of the Wanderer in his turn. "Hi, Mr. West, Mr. Gordon… Mmm… I can smell coffee… real coffee, not the computer-generated one that we have on board the Enterprise."

Smiling, the two agents parted and Artemus gestured toward the couch before placing his Colt on the Louis XV work table. "Welcome on board the Wanderer, gentlemen, it's the name of our train. It's not your ship, but we call it home."

Looking around them like children in a toy store, stars shining in their eyes, the three officers of the Enterprise observed everything.

Kirk who had a passion for 'old things', such as antique, real-paper books or old real-wood furniture, was in heaven. "It's beautiful… You own this?"

James shook his head. "No, the government lends it to us… " He watched Jim caress the work table with reverence. "You like it?"

Jim nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "It's a Louis XV table… It's beautiful."

Heading toward the door opening to the galley, Jim said, "Please sit down, I'm going to fetch three more cups and some cookies."

He opened the door and Marmalade and AG seized the opportunity to pad into the parlor suite to observe the three unknown people.

Sitting on the armchair, facing the three other men who were on the couch, Artie said, "The tawny cat is Marmalade, she's my cat, and the black one is AG, he's Jim's cat.

McCoy smiled, when the two cats moved toward Spock, then both leaped on his lap. The Vulcan couldn't resist petting them. He gently stroked his palm down the length of the cats's back, and then moved to scratch them under their chin.

Loud contented purrs resounded.

Leonard smirked and said, "Spock has a thing with cats you see, they instantly love him. it's maybe the form of his ears…"

Kirk chuckled soflly. "Speaking of cats and ears… As you came back here with your partner, you obviously died on board the Altaran ship…"

Sighing, Artie nodded. "Yes, I did." He watched Jim enter the room holding three cups and a plate covered with lemon-sponge biscuits. "That woman, Katakl turned me into an Altaran male against my will so she could have me as her new sex-slave… "

Pouring coffee into one of the cups, Jim added, "She was completely obsessed with Artemus… I was trying to flee the starship with him, when she fired her weapon to stop me." He offered the cup to Spock who thanked him, then he poured a second cup. "Artie saved my life, placing himself in front of me, just before a white beam of energy hit him… His chest was badly burnt. He died almost instantly."

McCoy grimaced. "She probably used some kind of disruptor… Such wounds are mortal. I wouldn't have been able to save you…"

Frowning, Artie asked, "Save me?..." Then he remembered Katakl saying, "I like to be armed during a battle with another ship"… You were attacking the Altaran ship to rescue us?"

Kirk took his cup of coffee. "Thank you." He nodded. "In fact, they attacked us after they discovered we were following them. Spock and Bones had the feeling that you were in danger… and you were. So I set course to follow you. But at that time I had no idea how to rescue you…"

McCoy finally got his cup of coffee and placing his nose above it, smiled ecstatically. "Wonderful… the last time I drank real coffee was… an eternity ago."

Smiling, Jim offered him a biscuit, "Artie's biscuits are delicious too, and I agree with you Dr. McCoy, Artie's coffee is pure pleasure." He placed himself on a chair beside the table, bit into a biscuit, immediately imitated by the other men and asked, "So… why are you here gentlemen?"

Kirk looked at the two agents and embarrassed he said, "I was a bit harsh with you when you were on board the Enterprise and I wanted to apologize."

Jim nodded, "Artie and I accept your apology, Captain. But we don't blame you, you did what you had to do, and Artie and I too. We thought you were a potentially deadly threat to us, so we had to escape… but it didn't work. But when Artie and I are locked somewhere, in a prison, or a basement, or in an ice storage room… etc. it usually does work…" Saying that, he saw Artie's eyes become vacant, as he was lost in his thoughts. Then he noticed Artie's gentle chocolate eyes moistening with tears.

He frowned in concern. Was Artie remembering what had happened to him on the Altaran ship, or was it something else? His instinct leaned toward the second possibility. And suddenly images from his last nightmare popped in his mind ... not knowing why and guessing that the two things were related somehow… He promised himself that he would have a word with Artie about that, later.

Realizing that he was close to crying, Artie hurriedly rubbed his eyes and said, "I'm sorry… I'm really tired. Recent events have taken their toll on me."

McCoy nodded. "True, you need to rest Mr. Gordon."

The men sipped their coffee in companionable silence, then Artie asked, "Have you decided to stay long? Perhaps you wish to discover what life in the 19th century far-west is like?"

Kirk shook his head. "It would have been a pleasure, but we can't. We have to proceed to starbase 67 to take new orders directly from Admiral Fisher."

McCoy nodded and drawled, "It sounds mysterious… I wonder what mess we are going to find ourselves in this time."

Kirk stood and Bones imitated his best friend. "It was a pleasure to see you again," he said. He looked at his First Officer who hadn't moved. "Spock?"

Spock fascinated by the cats constant low purrs of pleasure, finding them soothing, relaxing… and, eyes closing, was slowly drifting off to sleep.

McCoy shook Spock's shoulder, then he reached out to scratch Marmalade behind an ear. "Come on, Spock, wake up! Time to go!" and smirked when he saw the Vulcan blink looking lost and blush the palest shade of green.

Spock scooped up the cats, placing them on each side of him – eliciting meows of displeasure and stood. "I'm ready, Captain."

Suddenly two men holding guns entered the car, coming out from the narrow passageway as a third opened the door… Noel Bartley Vautrain.

Blanching, Artie growled "Vautrain!" and moved back toward the table on which his Colt was sitting but one of Vautrain's goons was quicker.

He placed the mouth of his gun against Artemus's jaw. "Not so fast pal…" Using his free hand he took the AG monogramed Colt and slid it in his belt.

Kirk breathed out, "Khan…" He wanted to pinch himself to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. The other man looked like a twin brother of Khan Noonien Singh.

Colonel Vautrain stepped inside and looked at Kirk, Spock and McCoy briefly, not interested in them and ordered, "You three, out!" He cocked the hammer of his Colt. "I won't repeat it. Tell this to the law and your friends here are dead."

Kirk nodded. "Okay, we'll leave…" He glanced at Jim and gave him a wink without anyone else seeing it. "See you buddies."

Followed by Spock and McCoy, the Captain of the Enterprise left the parlor suite… and Vautrain closed the door before locking it it behind them.

Once on the railroad yard platform the three officers regrouped.

McCoy was the first to speak, "That man Vautrain… He looks like Khan! But it's not him… he's been exiled on Ceti Alpha V. Could the two of them be related?"

Spock nodded. "It's possible doctor. This question would require further study, but we don't have time for that now. That man is the one who used his power to send James West and Artemus Gordon to Altair 9-B-2118. He tried to kill them. We have to stop him before he does it again."

Kirk nodded. "I know. But it's not going to be easy to intervene…" He looked at the last car of the Wanderer, seeing silhouettes moving behind the closed blinds. He pulled out his type one phaser from the right-hand pocket of his corduroy jacket. "Take your phaser too Mr. Spock and set it on 'heat'… We're going to heat up that last car… The heat will be increased by the metallic structure ... After a while the heat will be so unbearable they will have to come out ..."

McCoy nodded approving Jim's non-reckless idea . "Then you can stun the bad guys. That's a good plan, Jim, but a dangerous one. They could suffer heat exhaustion

Kirk nodded. "I know, but I have no other option, Doctor."

Bones sighed. "I know. Okay… I'll take care of them if that happens . I'm going to watch to see if someone comes along... if so, I'll whistle twice."

WWW

 _Inside the Wanderer_

Colonel Vautrain sat down on the golden embroidered sofa and smiled. "I suspected you would come back, somehow - –everything comes in threes and I was waiting for you" he said, placing his gun on his lap. "I wasn't surprised though when Collins whom I had instructed to monitor your train told me that he had seen two people on board. I don't know how you do it… but it is the last time. As unconventional ways to kill you don't work, well I'm going to take a conventional way to kill you –definitively."

Crossing his arms on his chest, Jim replied, "You sound a lot like Dr. Loveless… He tried to elimiate us both in different ways as well… and failed."

The ex-Confederate officer nodded. "But he didn't fail to make his escape… I heard he escaped from his federal prison two days ago."

Both Jim and Artie looked at each other at the same time, and thought 'Damn!'

Mopping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand, Vautrain continued, "But you won't be arresting him next time… because you're going to be dead in a moment… With a bullet in your head." He loosened his tie. "It's very hot in here…"

Realizing that too, Jim nodded. "Maybe there's something malfunctioning with Artie's latest invention: warm water central heating…"

Glaring at his partner, offended, Artemus said, "It works perfectly." But his skin was damp with the heat and he felt dizzy. Something was wrong… "It's like an oven in here…"

Overheated, Vautrain started to pant as his lungs couldn't work properly. "Something is wrong… We shouldn't feel so hot…"

Sweating too, his head throbbing, Jim nodded. "Maybe's something wrong with the train, but I'm not an expert in mechanical engineering…" he rasped, his throat was painfully dry.

Concerned Artie croaked, "Maybe there's something wrong with the locomotive…" Black dots appeared in his vision and the room began to spin. "Not good…"

Colonel Vautrain stood. The heat was now atrocious, unbearable. He felt like he was dying. "Let's get outside, I need cool air…"

He unlockled the door and opened it. The cats went out first.

Sweating profusely, his vision graying around the edges, Artie breathed out, "Good idea…Can't… breathe… so hot…" he grunted, barely able to articulate.

Pushing Artie and Jim before them, the two goons, followed their boss outside, their lungs burning, and with splitting headaches… and sighed in relief as the night air cooled their bodies.

Once on the railroad yard platform, they stumbled before collapsing to the ground – dehydrated, suffering from heat exhaustion.

Colonel Vautrain tried to stand, grimacing as it was painful to draw breath. His ears were ringing and vision fading fast. "No…" he whispered and he closed his eyes, the exhaustion completely setting in.

He slumped onto his back, glancing at the other men lying around him, fighting to stay conscious or already passed out.

Kirk was the first to approach Vautrain, and he quickly divested him of his gun, while Spock retrieved his henchmen's Colts.

Upset, and it was an understatement, Vautrain groaned and covering his eyes with a hand, he rasped, his mouth as coarse as sandpaper, "You're responsible for what happened to us… How did you do it?"

Kirk smiled. "You will never know."

McCoy knelt beside Artemus, lying on his side, unconscious and flushed. He noticed the telltale signs: the lack of sweat, the hot and dry skin… He pressed two fingers to Artie's pulse point and felt that the heartbeat was rapid and weak. "He's suffering from a heatstroke…" He rolled him on his back and quickly unbuttoned the other man's clothes clinging to his skin, starting with his emerald smoking jacket. Within less than two minutes, he had stripped Artie down to his underwear.

He looked up at Spock, "Spock, go back inside the train and bring me cold water, and ice if you can find any." The Vulcan complied after giving the confiscated guns to Jim.

Propping himself up on his elbows, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glassy Jim dragged a dry tongue across his chapped lips then he asked weakly, "Is he going to be okay?"

He closed his eyes as a dizzy spell washed over him.

Once Artie was cooling down in his short black underwear, McCoy knelt beside Jim as the younger agent lay back down again. "Yes, he's going to be fine," he responded reassuringly and touched his feverish face before taking Jim's pulse too. "Like you, and the others he needs to cool down… and lying here, on the cool ground, in the cool night air will do the trick."

McCoy's last words faded from Jim as he fell into sleep, shivering a little.

WWW

 _Much later, on board the Wanderer_

Sitting on the edge of Artie's bed, Jim watched his best friend sleep peacefully, relieved he was fine, as he was too, thanks to Dr. McCoy. He smiled. Kirk had told him - because he had been unconscious for hours - that the good doctor had complained without interruption about having been obliged to look after his patients using medical equipment dating from the _Middle Ages_ , but he had managed, and managed very well. They were still alive – as well as the others, he thought.

He brushed a lock of hair away from Artie's forehead. "It's over – for now. Sleep buddy."

Marmalade and AG suddenly both leaped on top the sleeping man, doing their best to wake him, pawing him and licking his face, using their tails to brush his nose, butting their heads against his chin, purring loudly… and Artie finally shifted on the bedspread, groaning lowly before his eyelids fluttered. "Lemme s-sleep," he slurred, his voice hoarse.

Jim chuckled. "Come on Artie, wake up! Who's gonna prepare breakfast? Not me, and not our guests – because they left about 30 minutes after I woke up."

Opening one eye, Artie said, "I'm not at your service Jim… I'm a special agent, not your personal Chef." He managed to sit and petted the cat's bellies as they had flopped on their backs, paws in the air, tails waving. "You said they left?"

Standing, Jim nodded. "Yes, they're gone and are probably back on the Enterprise by now. They left us a letter, on the work table. I didn't open it as I wanted to read it with you, buddy. As they saved our lives, I thanked them by offering them something each. I offered McCoy a bag of your best ground coffee, I gave Spock one of my watches and I took the liberty of offering one of your books to Kirk, Shakespeare 's 'Julius Caesar'– because his middle name is Tiberius, the same as a roman emperor… I thought it was appropriate."

Rubbing his forehead, Artie said, "Caesar has never been an emperor, but I approve your choice… That's a good idea. I guess they were happy?"

Jim smiled. "Ecstatic!" He frowned in concern. "How do you feel?"

Massaging his temples now, Artie said, "I have a light headache and I feel very tired…and, I'm still alive!" Intrigued, he asked, "I thought I was going to die from a heat stroke…What happened?"

Scooping up AG to hold him against his chest, Jim said, "They used their energy-beam weapons to heat the metallic structure of the train provoking an intense and rapid heat inside. They expected us to leave the train when the heat would have became unbearable, and that's what happened. Kirk contacted the police and a group of policemen arrested Vautrain's henchemen a few minutes later – but not Vautrain, unfortunately. He used his power to vanish into thin air. God knows where he is – and when."

Leaving his bed, Artie stood, swayed on legs like jelly and slumped back on it. He was completely drained. "I'm good to eat your food…" and he lay back down on the bed. "I'm not moving from my bed." He ran a finger between Marmie's pointy ears, blinking rapidly, fighting the pull of sleep. "Now we have to find him and Loveless… But something tells me they will find us before we find them."

Jim cringed. "I know. But for now, we're back home and we're safe."

Artemus closed his eyes, yawned and relaxed.

Marmalade settled sphinx-like on Artie's lap and purred in pleasure when her owner stroked her neck and under her chin.

The loud purrs lulled Artie back to sleep.

Tbc.


	6. Tag

**THE NIGHT OF THE TREK AMONG THE STARS**

 **By Andamogirl**

WWW

 **TAG**

 _In the evening, on the beach_

Sitting beside the crackling fire, on the blanket spread on the cool sand, Jim placed a small, round piece of marshmallow on the end of a stick a placed it above the flames.

He watched it rapidly caramelizing and asked Artie, sitting beside him, 'indian-style', at hand's reach, "You sure it's good?"

Imitating his best friend, Artemus nodded. "Very good. La 'guimauve' called marshmallow here is a French invention, but the French don't eat it that way. They prefer it aromatized _à l'eau de rose_. I thought it could be very good like this, toasted… it's an experiment."

Biting into his piece of hot, lightly browned marshmallow, Jim discovered that the piece of candy had melted inside. He licked his sweetened lips. "That's very good! I love your experiment."

Placing a bowl filled with pieces of marshmallows between himself and Jim, Artie said, "My pleasure, Jim. Please, help yourself…" Then he took his golden brown, crispy marshmallow off his stick, and ate his own caramel-covered piece of candy.

Pause.

Jim tossed some sticks and branches onto the fire sending a shower of sparks rising into the air, into the darkness of the night.

Looking up at the starry sky, at the full moon Artemus said, "I'll never forget our trek among the stars… even if I didn't like it. It could have been so great – but wasn't. We spent our time in the sickbay and in the brig… Things we usually do here. I'm glad to be back here, on Earth."

Looking up too at the canopy of bright constellations, Jim replied, "A trek is by definition 'a long arduous journey'… yes, it's a good definition of what happened up there, and like you I didn't like it for the same reasons, and like you, I'm happy to be back home."

New pause.

They listened to the non-silence of the night: the crackling of the campfire, the waves crashing on the sand, the wind gently blowing in the trees bordering the immense beach and the crickets' songs.

Placing six soft, white pieces of 'guimauve' on his stick, Jim asked, "I know that you don't like to talk about what you did during the war but… because it brings back too many bad and painful memories, but I'd like to know something…" and he waited while they toasted. "But if you don't want to tell anything, I'll understand, I'm not forcing you." He saw Artie nod, and added, "You were on the verge of crying, after we accepted Kirk's apologies, when I said that we usually escape when we're locked up somewhere… and images of a nightmare I had popped to my mind… In my nightmare, you were a prisoner in the Andersonville camp…"

Staring at the flickering glow of the yellow-orange-red flames, Artie said, his voice so low that it was barely audible, "Me and my uncontrivable emotions… Tell me your nightmare Jim."

Jim told Artie his nightmare.

Once he was done, Artemus looked right in front of him, at the waves, crashing on the desert beach, lost in his thoughts.

Then, after a moment, he looked at Jim and said, "You have a vivid imagination, Jim. Your nightmare was truly horrible… but, thank goodness, what happened in your dream didn't happen in reality," he said. He looked up again at the full moon lighting up the immense starry night. Then he added, "I was captured during the war… but I didn't go to a prisoner of war camp," he said, his voice a whisper. He added, his face strained with pain, a pain he hadn't forgotten and never will. "I... I was betrayed by a man I considered a friend, I was captured and tortured." He swallowed hard and felt wetness on his cheeks. He scrubbed his sleeve across his eyes, and his voice hoarse, he continued, "I was hurt, badly … but I survived. Dr. Henderson saved my life, again." He paused, placing a piece of marshmallow over the small fire. "But I know… I mean knew people who were sent to that hell hole in Georgia and died there… They were good friends from my theater circles." He dropped his head and mopped his tears with the back of his sleeve once more. "I don't know if they died of hunger, malnutrition, illness, violence or were executed by the camp guards… all I know is they died and where thrown into mass graves… They never came back home."

Pressing Artie's shoulder in sympathy, Jim said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know that… But I'm not surprised you survived. You survive everything, it's like your'e immortal…" He trailed off.

Giving the younger man a small half-smile , Artie replied. "I died several times Jim… then, by definition I'm not immortal, but I know what you mean." He took the caramelized marshmallow between his fingers, turning it pensively. "Did you read Charles Dicken's novel, 'A tale of Two Cities?'… set in London and Paris during the French Revolution?" Focused on his sticky piece of candy he didn't see Jim nod. "Dickens opens his novel with that sentence, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…" The last war was that for me. I loved being a Captain, until I lost all my men under the enemy's shells. I loved being a spy, until I was captured and tortured… I came back and I continued to do my job, because General Grant counted on me… But I wanted to quit – every single second. I prayed every day for the war to end… I had lost my passion for life… Sometimes I even considered killing myself. But I couldn't. I had a duty. I was General Grant's personal spy. Many things depended on me and on the information I collected: battles plans, hundred of lives saved or lost…And, one day I met Captain James West and my life changed overnight." He placed his hand on Jim's shoulder an pressed it with affection. "I found in you the brother I never had… and I got a grip on life again. The good old me was back. In a sense, you saved my life while trying to kill me, Jim." He smiled at his best friend, his eyes twinkling and crinkling at the corners with amusement. "Correction, I met Captain West's bullet first. But I'd have preferred a handshake. Less blood and less pain."

Feeling a lot better because Artie was smiling and teasing him again, Jim said, "I shot you, I know, and I told you I was sorry." Then he popped his six crispy dark-brown marshmallows into his mouth – resembling a squirrel keeping its food packed in its cheeks.

Artie couldn't help but burst out laughing. "You look like a squirrel. Squirrel Jim. I'm going to call you that now."

Jim stifled an amused chuckle, "You wouldn't…" as he licked his fingertips clean from ther bits of burnt sugar stuck there.

Lowering his hand to the bowl filled with 'guimauves' Artemus took one and said, "Oh, I would." He looked at the piece of marshmallow and added, "I could cover them with a chocolate coating you know…The children – or people in their second childhood… (he frowned sternly father-like when Jim stuck his tongue out at him)… watch where my eyes rest – would love that. What about chocolate-covered marshmallow teddy-bears… I think it's a great idea!" he licked his lips at that idea and bit into the ball of marshmallow.

Smiling, Jim had the confirmation that Artie was his old-self again: an Artemus Gordon thinking about food was a I-feel-good Artie.

Still smiling, he pulled out a letter from the inside pocket of his jacket and said, "Let's read what Kirk, Spock and McCoy left for us."

He unfolded the piece of paper and read aloud, "James, Artemus, this short message is to tell you that we'll never forget you. Accept our apologies again. I doubt we'll ever see each other again, but who knows? Life is full of surprises. In this case, you will be welcome on board... As Mr. S. likes to say, 'live long and prosper'." Signed J, S and L."

Removing his jacket, Artie said, "I intend to do that." Then, he stood up, pulling off his shirt. He kicked off his boots and took off his pants, revealing his short black underwear.

Puzzled, Jim asked, frowning, "What are you doing?"

Stepping out of his undergarment, completely nude, Artie replied, "We leave tomorrow for Phoenix, for the implacable sun, for the desert, for the dust, for the atrocious heat… I want to swim in cool water while I can still do it." He smiled. "Want to join me?"

Standing too, Jim then started to strip himself of his clothes too. "Sure buddy!" When he was naked, like Artie was, he pointed at the ocean. "The last one in the water pays for the next dinner…"

Lifting his eyebrows in surprise, Artie said, "What? Who's making dinner? Me!"… and he suppressed a curse as Jim dashed toward the water.

He ran after him. They reached the water together and they splashed each other as they waded into the Pacific Ocean.

Then a water fight started.

The end.


End file.
